Additional HMO licensing in Islington
Yes. Islington 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 Islington?
Yes. Islington 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 Islington does the scheme cover?
Borough-wide additional licensing covering all HMOs with 3 or 4 occupants forming 2 or more households. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Islington's scheme end?
The designation runs until 31 January 2031, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£900 for 5 years. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Islington before budgeting.
One payment, and the licence lasts 5 years.
| Each bedroom | £100 |
Islington, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
London Borough of Islington operates a BOROUGH-WIDE Additional HMO Licensing Scheme. The original scheme came into force on 1 February 2021 for 5 years. On 23 October 2025 Islington Council's Executive resolved to renew the borough-wide additional licensing scheme. The renewed scheme came into force on 1 February 2026 and runs until 2031 . Designation under section 56 of the Housing Act 2004. LICENSED PROPERTY VOLUMES (April 2024 baseline): 567 properties under Mandatory HMO; 3,247 properties under Additional HMO; 1,719 properties under Selective. Estimated coverage: ~700 mandatory, ~3,500 additional, ~5,000 selective. A pilot HMO licensing scheme in Caledonian and Holloway Roads has been in place since 2015. Any privately rented property occupied by 3 or 4 unrelated people forming 2+ households sharing facilities. Includes section 257 HMOs — RESTRICTED to situations where ALL flats are privately rented AND under one single freehold ownership AND the conversion did not meet Building Regulations 1991. All flats let to 3+ unrelated people forming 2+ households located within a purpose-built block of flats not covered by mandatory. Charged per letting (each bedsit room or bedroom in a shared house/flat). Application fee £900 + £100 per letting (£1,400 for a 5-person shared house). Different fee rates for section 257 HMOs (£288 per bedroom or £703 for a block of flats under single ownership per Kamma reporting). Two-part instalments. Discounts: £75 for accredited landlords/managing agents; £50 for EPC rating A-C. NO discounts where late application, council warning letter for failure to licence, or two requests for missing documents. Kitchen/bathroom facilities, room sizes, fire safety, gas safety (annual certificate), electrical safety (5-year EICR), waste management, anti-social behaviour management, fit and proper person test for licence holder. Section 95(1) Housing Act 2004 — operating an unlicensed licensable property is a criminal offence. Civil financial penalty up to £40,000 per offence. Unlimited fine on conviction. RROs up to two years' rent for offences on or after 1 May 2026 (12 months before that date). Tenants can verify via Islington Landlord Licence Public Register. propertylicensing.islington.gov.uk online application portal. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026; possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. 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 Islington before letting.