Islington Landlord Licensing

Islington's additional HMO licensing was renewed borough-wide from 1 February 2026 and runs until 31 January 2031 (a 5-year designation). Applications have been open since 1 November 2025. All qualifying HMOs must be licensed.

The additional HMO licence fee is £900 base plus £100 per letting. For example, an HMO with 3 lettings would cost £1,200 (£900 + 3 × £100). ATLAS-accredited landlords may receive discounts — check with the council for current rates.

Selective licensing requires all privately rented properties — not just HMOs — in designated wards to have a licence. Islington currently has selective licensing in 3 wards and is expanding to 10 wards. The 7 new wards have been designated but their start date has not yet been confirmed by the council.

Islington is expanding selective licensing from 3 to 10 wards. The 7 new wards are: Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction, and Laycock. The start date for the new wards has not yet been confirmed — check with the council for updates.

The selective licence fee is £725 total. ATLAS-accredited landlords can receive a discount, bringing the cost to £410 Part A + £315 Part B.

You need: a valid Gas Safety Certificate (CP12), an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), a Fire Risk Assessment, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), floor plans with room measurements, building insurance, proof of identity, and proof of ownership or management authorisation.

Operating without a required licence is a criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004. Islington Council can issue civil penalties of up to £40,000 per offence (effective 1 May 2026), prosecute (unlimited fines), and tenants can apply for Rent Repayment Orders to recover up to 24 months' rent.

The additional HMO licence fee is £900 base plus £100 per letting. So a 3-letting HMO costs £1,200 (£900 + 3 × £100), a 4-letting HMO costs £1,300, and so on. This per-letting structure means larger HMOs pay proportionally more.

Yes. Islington charges surcharges for late applications, applications following a warning letter, or those requiring two or more document requests. Apply promptly to avoid these additional costs.