Additional HMO licensing in Camden
Yes. Camden operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need an additional HMO licence in Camden?
Yes. Camden operates an additional HMO licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Camden does the scheme cover?
Whole borough, including s.257 HMOs where fewer than half the flats are owner-occupied. Made 2 July 2025 under the 23 December 2024 General Approval. Camden's third borough-wide additional scheme; the previous one ran to 8 December 2020 and its renewal lapsed before this one commenced. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Camden's scheme end?
The designation runs until 8 December 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£1,531. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Camden before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part 1 | £1,297 |
| Part 2 | £234 |
| Total | £1,531 |
- £100 off Part 2 for accredited private landlords
Camden — Camden HMO licensing application fees PDF, fees effective from, read 24 April 2025
What the designation says
Camden operates a borough-wide additional licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation. The current designation is the third in succession: it started on 8 December 2025 and replaced the previous borough-wide scheme, which had run for five years from December 2020. A licence is required for shared homes across the borough, including house and flat shares, student housing, bedsits and some buildings converted into flats, which brings smaller shared properties within licensing well below the five-occupant threshold of the mandatory regime. Licences normally run for five years and the council opens its renewal portal thirty days before an existing licence expires, so a landlord holding a licence under the previous designation should check the expiry date on that licence rather than relying on the scheme start date. Letting a licensable HMO without a licence carries a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order. The council renewed the scheme for a further five years, running to December 2030. The £40,000 ceiling applies to offences committed on or after 1 May 2026; the £30,000 ceiling still applies to offences committed before that date.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Camden before letting.