DIY InventoryLetting a property in Birmingham: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Birmingham.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Birmingham
- Selective licensing: Selective licensing covers 25 of the city's 69 wards: most privately rented homes in those wards need a licence. The scheme started on 5 June 2023 and runs until 4 June 2028.
- Additional HMO licensing: Additional HMO licensing covers every ward in the city: smaller HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants need a licence. In force from 5 June 2023 until 4 June 2028. Larger HMOs need a mandatory licence as everywhere in England.
- Fees: £700 for a selective licence, paid in two parts (council page)
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Birmingham City Council.
Birmingham City Council: private renting and licensing
Safety certificates
- Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
- EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Birmingham at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.
Deposits and the inventory
Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.
What to record in Birmingham homes
- Student shared houses in Selly Oak: photograph each bedroom lock, fire doors and alarms, and the condition of the shared kitchen and bathroom at the start and end of each academic year.
- City centre apartment blocks: record fob and key counts, the parking space or bike store, and the intercom, and note any communal-area damage separately.
- Victorian terraces in the inner wards: check and photograph damp at the base of walls, cellar condition, back-yard walls and outside toilets or stores.
- Converted villas in Edgbaston and Moseley: photograph high ceilings, cornicing and original features, and the shared hallway and meters.
- Warehouse conversions in the Jewellery Quarter and Digbeth: note exposed brick, metal windows and any condensation or mould around them.
- New-build homes at Longbridge and other regeneration sites: record snagging marks, sealant, and whether the extractor fans and heating controls work.
Homes sold in Birmingham in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Terraced | 2,798 | £228,218 |
| Semi-detached | 2,540 | £283,603 |
| Flat or maisonette | 1,275 | £159,464 |
| Detached | 736 | £505,445 |
| Other | 285 | £633,074 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Birmingham: questions
Is there selective licensing in Birmingham?
Selective licensing covers 25 of the city's 69 wards: most privately rented homes in those wards need a licence. The scheme started on 5 June 2023 and runs until 4 June 2028. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Birmingham?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Birmingham?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.