London · Council licensing
Landlord licensing in Havering
✓ Hand-verified 25 Aug 2026Havering 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.
The band is set by the number of separate lettings.
| Up to 5 lettings | £1,329 |
| 6 to 9 lettings | £1,530.30 |
| 10 to 14 | £1,755.20 |
| 15 to 19 | £1,941.10 |
| 20 or more | £2,130 |
- NOTE a figure of £1,294 circulates on third-party sites and is wrong; the council publishes £1,329 for up to 5 lettings
Havering — havering.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
The London Borough of Havering operates a selective licensing scheme covering seven wards. The new scheme designation was approved by Cabinet on 10 December 2025 and came into force on 18 March 2026, replacing the previous selective licensing scheme (Brooklands and Romford Town wards) which ended on 24 January 2026. The scheme will run for 5 years until 17 March 2031 unless revoked earlier. It applies to all private rented accommodation occupied by a single household or two unrelated sharers within the seven designated wards. Licence fee: £950 (£570 Part A on application + £380 Part B on grant). Discounts available for EPC C+ properties (-£75) and accredited landlords (-£100). The seven wards were chosen for the prevalence of poor housing conditions, identified through a Housing Conditions and Stressors Report (Metastreet 2024). As of January 2025 the council's public register listed 3,206 selective licences under the previous scheme.
Areas: Seven wards: Beam Park, Harold Wood, Rainham and Wennington, Rush Green and Crowlands, Squirrels Heath, St Albans, St Edwards. Designated 10 December 2025, applications opened 25 January 2026
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
- Discounts: Part A application fee £570 plus Part B licensing fee £380
- Discounts off Part B: £100 accredited landlord, £75 EPC C or better, £100 per dwelling multi-property in the same building under common ownership
Havering, read 25 August 2026
Scheme runs until: 17 March 2031
The London Borough of Havering operates a borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. The new scheme was approved by Cabinet on 10 December 2025 and came into force on 18 March 2026, replacing the previous additional scheme (Cranham, Emerson Park, Hacton, Hylands, Saint Andrews and Upminster wards) which ended on 24 January 2026. The scheme will run for 5 years until 17 March 2031 unless revoked earlier. It applies to all HMOs that fall outside mandatory HMO licensing - including HMOs occupied by 3 or 4 people, multi-occupied flats in purpose-built blocks comprising 3+ flats, and section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats). Licence fee: £1,400 (£840 Part A + £560 Part B). Mandatory HMO licensing also applies separately for HMOs with 5+ occupants. The council estimates approximately 10,474 properties will need to be licensed under the combined additional and selective schemes.
Areas: Borough-wide. Designated 10 December 2025
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £840 |
| Part B | £560 |
| Total | £1,400 |
- Paper surcharge £117.10
- Discounts off Part B: £100 accredited, £75 EPC C+; £100 per dwelling multi-property in the same building under common ownership
Havering, read 25 August 2026
Scheme runs until: 17 March 2031
Common questions
Does Havering have a selective licensing scheme?
Yes. Havering operates a selective 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.
Does Havering have an additional HMO licensing scheme?
Yes. Havering 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 Havering?
A mandatory HMO licence is required anywhere in England and Wales, including Havering, 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
Selective licensing in Havering: areas, dates and fees →
Additional HMO licensing in Havering: areas, dates and fees →
All property licensing in London →
Source: Havering licensing page →
Every landlord in Havering 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.
Check your Havering property in 30 seconds
Free, no account — see exactly what applies to your property, then let Landlord HQ track every deadline from £9.99/mo.