Additional HMO licensing in Hillingdon

What the designation says

Hillingdon Council has approved a borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. Cabinet decision made 19 February 2026 following 10-week consultation (31 October 2025 to 11 January 2026, 80% of respondents in support). The designation was made on 19 February 2026 and comes into force on 24 August 2026 (after the statutory 3-month notice period). It will run for 5 years until 23 August 2031 unless revoked earlier. Applies to all HMOs occupied by 3 or more persons forming 2 or more households that fall outside mandatory HMO licensing - includes shared houses, shared flats and bedsit HMOs occupied by 3 or 4 people. Section 257 HMOs are EXCLUDED from this scheme. Licence fee: £1,401 for a 5-year licence, with a 10% discount for accredited landlords. Applications open 20 May 2026. Full compliance required by 23 August 2026; enforcement begins 24 August 2026. Approximately 2,000 unregistered HMOs estimated in the borough. The scheme works alongside the borough-wide Article 4 Direction introduced December 2025.

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 £30,000 per offence, a rent repayment order of up to twelve months' rent, and a section 21 notice that cannot be served while the property is unlicensed. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.

Hillingdon's own licensing page →