Additional licensing of smaller HMOs is to commence in West Bromwich on 1st July 2022 under a licensing designation made by Sandwell borough council. After a public consultation in 2020 on plans for both selective and additional licensing schemes in the area, the council decided to go ahead with just the additional licensing scheme.

In giving reasons for the scheme the council have said that following fast growth in West Bromwich of the HMO sector in recent years that had also been a significant growth in numbers of badly managed HMOs resulting in increased numbers of complaints being dealt with by the council.

In addition, the private sector housing team at the council discovered that landlords of many smaller HMOs were not aware that they were running an HMO due to an existing tenant moving extra tenants into the property without the landlord's knowledge or that unbeknownst to the landlord, they had become involved in a rent to rent scheme.

The designation applies to all HMOs occupied by 3 or more people comprising 2 or more households and a map of the boundary of the designated area can be accessed here.