Camden HMO Public Register: How to Check a Property's Licence Status

Camden Council maintains a public register of licensed HMOs, and tenants, prospective buyers and landlords all have reasons to search it. But the register has limitations that aren't obvious, and the GLA licence checker serves a different purpose entirely.

Camden's Public HMO Register

Every local authority that runs HMO licensing must keep a public register of licensed properties. Camden's register lists the address, licence holder name, licence number, and the dates the licence was granted and expires.

You can search it to check whether a specific Camden property holds a current HMO licence. The register is useful for:

• Tenants checking whether their landlord is properly licensed
• Landlords confirming their own licence status or checking a property they're about to purchase
• Prospective buyers running due diligence on a property sold with tenants in situ

The register shows properties with granted licences. It does not show applications in progress, properties where an application has been submitted but not yet determined, or properties that should be licensed but aren't. A property absent from the register might be unlicensed — or it might have a pending application with full statutory protection.

The GLA Property Licence Checker

The Greater London Authority runs a separate tool — the Property Licence Checker — that works differently. Enter any London address and it tells you which licensing schemes apply in that area: whether the borough runs mandatory, additional or selective licensing, and whether the address falls within a designated zone.

The GLA checker tells you what schemes exist — not whether a specific property has a licence. It's the right tool for working out whether your property needs a licence in the first place, especially if you own near borough boundaries where Camden meets Islington, Westminster or Barnet.

Checking Borough Boundaries

Postal codes don't align with borough boundaries. A property with a "Camden" address might actually fall within Islington's administrative area, or vice versa. The GLA checker maps the precise location to the correct borough, which determines which council's licensing rules apply.

This matters because adjacent boroughs run different schemes. Islington has its own additional HMO licensing scheme with different fees. Westminster also runs an additional HMO licensing scheme, renewed from 31 August 2026. Getting the borough wrong means applying to the wrong council — and potentially paying fees to a council that has no jurisdiction over your property.

What the Register Won't Tell You

The public register shows current licence details but it does not reveal:

• Licence conditions — the specific conditions attached to each property's licence (room occupancy limits, required works, safety equipment deadlines)
• Manager or agent changes — whether the current managing agent matches the one on the licence
• Compliance history — whether Camden has issued improvement notices, civil penalties or taken enforcement action
• Planning status — whether the property has the necessary C4 or Sui Generis planning permission to operate as an HMO

For licence conditions and enforcement history, you'd need to submit a freedom of information request to Camden Council or contact their Private Sector Housing team directly.

For Landlords: Keeping Your Own Records

Rather than relying on the public register, keep your own copies of the licence instrument, the schedule of conditions, and the payment receipts that prove your application was duly made. If Camden queries your licensing status or you face enforcement action, your own records provide faster proof than waiting for a register search.

The Camden Landlord Licensing Guide includes a post-grant conditions tracker for managing your licence obligations across the full five-year term.

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