Landlord licensing in Wyre Forest Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Additional licensing

Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs. Wyre Forest Council may designate areas or property types, with designations lasting up to five years. Check the council's website for current schemes.

Selective licensing

Selective licensing requires a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Wyre Forest Council may designate areas for selective licensing, with designations lasting up to five years. Check the council's website for current schemes.

Towns covered

Wyre Forest

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Wyre Forest Council area, first confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to larger HMOs. Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs, and selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in designated areas, including single-family lets. Designations run for up to five years and are ward or street specific, so confirm the position for the exact address before advertising. The Renters' Rights Act 2025, with main provisions commencing 2026, replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies and ends section 21 no-fault evictions. Always check the council's own licensing pages for current designations, fees and boundaries. Maintain a robust evidence pack for every tenancy, including a current gas safety record, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website