Birmingham city council has announced that today it has launched a public consultation on a proposed additional licensing scheme to cover around 12,000 smaller HMO properties across all 69 wards in the city. The city already has an existing mandatory licensing scheme covering around 4,000 larger HMO properties (5 or more occupants in different households).

The additional licensing scheme is set to go live in 2023 and will last for a period of 5 years.

Some news reports have said that the HMO sector in the city has been infiltrated by organised criminal gangs and the council's head of licensing, Sajeela Naseer, said "we have gathered a lot of data over the years which shows a clear correlation between HMOs and anti social behaviour, waste and serious home hazards. Licence conditions would include requiring landlords to work with the council to tackle anti social behaviour arising from their properties [and they] would also be required to be a 'fit and proper' person."

The public consultation can be accessed and submissions made to it here.