London · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Barnet
✓ Hand-verified 20 Aug 2026Barnet operates discretionary property licensing. Letting an unlicensed property where a scheme applies risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000 and a rent repayment order — check whether your property is covered below.
Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Each unit | £27 |
- Renewal paper £1,236, online £1,112
Barnet — Barnet fee schedule, Appendix 8,, read 19 Aug 2026
Barnet operates no selective licensing designation IN FORCE under s.80. The council's own property licensing page states verbatim: "We have now approved a selective licensing scheme (Phase 1) in Burnt Oak, Colindale North and Colindale South... The designation for this scheme is due to be signed in 2024. The scheme comes into force 3 months later. This page will be updated when the final date is decided." An approval with an unsigned designation is a proposal, not a scheme. The £750 selective rate (£376 + £374) in fee schedule Appendix 8 is a rate card entry, not a designation. A "Selective Licensing Business Case 2026 (DRAFT)" on barnet.moderngov.co.uk confirms the matter remains at proposal stage. No commenced designation appears on any Barnet domain. Established 20 Aug 2026.
Barnet operates a borough-wide additional licensing scheme which started on 27 October 2022 and ends on 27 October 2027, or earlier if the council revokes it. It applies to houses in multiple occupation that are not caught by the national mandatory regime, so smaller shared homes need a licence anywhere in the borough. Mandatory HMO licensing continues to apply separately wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households. Fees cover processing the application and monitoring compliance with the licence conditions, and updated HMO licensing fees took effect on 1 January 2026. Because Barnet also runs selective licensing in designated wards, a landlord should establish which scheme catches a given property: a shared house falls under additional or mandatory licensing anywhere in the borough, while an ordinary single-household let needs a selective licence only inside a designated ward.
Areas: Borough-wide, including certain s.257 blocks
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
- Renewal up to 5 units for five years: paper £1,236, online £1,112. 10 per cent off Fee 1 for accredited landlords and agents and registered charities
Barnet — Barnet fee schedule, Appendix 8,, read 19 Aug 2026
Scheme runs until: 27 October 2027
Common questions
Does Barnet have a selective licensing scheme?
No. Barnet does not currently operate a selective licensing scheme. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Does Barnet have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
Yes. Barnet operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a property covered by it without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and the loss of the right to serve a section 21 notice.
Do I need an HMO licence in Barnet?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Barnet, where a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Smaller shared houses may also need a licence where an additional licensing scheme applies.
- Free landlord compliance check — five questions, no account
- Tenancy agreement checker — findings cited to the Act and section
Additional HMO licensing in Barnet: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in London →
Source: Barnet licensing page →
Every landlord in Barnet also needs
A valid Gas Safety certificate (annual), an EICR (every 5 years), a valid EPC, a protected deposit, smoke & CO alarms, the Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet, and a current How to Rent guide — plus the new Section 8 possession rules since Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026.
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