Landlord licensing in Hillingdon

Required for any HMO let to 5 or more people forming 2+ households who share facilities.

Hillingdon does not operate a selective licensing scheme and has stated it does not intend to introduce one for its privately rented properties. Selective licensing would require every privately rented home in a designated area to hold a licence regardless of how many people occupy it; no such designation exists anywhere in the borough. The council has instead pursued a borough-wide additional licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation, which it describes as increasing its powers to scrutinise landlords, improve housing conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour. A landlord letting an ordinary self-contained flat or a single-family house in Hillingdon therefore needs no property licence, but a shared house of three or four occupants does need one under the additional scheme, and mandatory HMO licensing applies at five or more occupants.

IN FORCE from 24 August 2026, boroughwide, for five years to 23 August 2031. Covers HMOs occupied by three or four people from two or more households that fall outside mandatory licensing (shared houses, shared flats, bedsit HMOs). Section 257 HMOs (certain converted blocks of flats) are EXCLUDED. Approved by Cabinet 19 February 2026 after a 10-week consultation. Applications opened 20 May 2026; the council's own apply page states "You must apply by Sunday 23 August 2026. From Monday 24 August 2026, non applicant or non-compliant HMOs may be subject to enforcement action." Commencement confirmed from the council's HMO apply page, read 31 Aug 2026. Fee reported as £1,401 per property (Part A £934 + Part B £467) with a 10 per cent accredited-landlord discount: that figure is from third-party trade sources and is NOT first-party confirmed, so it is not published as our fee.

Areas: Boroughwide, all wards. Section 257 converted blocks of flats excluded.

Scheme runs until: 23 August 2031