Camden Temporary Exemption Notice: When and How Landlords Can Apply

What Is a Temporary Exemption Notice?

A temporary exemption notice (TEN) gives you a three-month window where your property is legally exempt from HMO licensing in Camden, even though it would normally need one. It exists under section 62 of the Housing Act 2004 for landlords who are genuinely taking steps to make a property non-licensable — reducing the number of occupants, for instance, or preparing it for sale with vacant possession.

Camden Council grants a TEN only when you can show concrete action. Simply wanting more time to fill out the application form is not a qualifying reason, and using a TEN as a delay tactic without genuine intent to end licensable occupation is treated as an abuse of process.

Who Actually Qualifies

You need to demonstrate that within the three-month exemption period, the property will no longer meet the licensing threshold. Typical qualifying scenarios:

• Reducing occupancy: you have served lawful notice on one or more tenants so the property no longer meets the relevant licensing criteria. For a standard shared HMO under Camden's additional scheme, this means fewer than three occupiers or fewer than two households.
• Selling the property: you have listed the property for vacant-possession sale and can evidence marketing activity.
• Converting the layout: you are carrying out works that will make the property a single self-contained dwelling rather than a shared house.

If you do not intend to take steps that will make the property no longer licensable, submit a full licence application instead.

How to Apply

TEN applications go to Camden's HMO Licensing Team. There is no application fee — Camden charges £0 for temporary exemption notices under its current fee schedule (2026/27). Complete the council's TEN application form and provide evidence of the steps you are taking and the timeline.

Camden assesses whether the steps are genuine and achievable within three months. If approved, you receive a written notice confirming the exemption period and its expiry date. Your property is lawfully exempt from licensing obligations for those three months.

Can You Extend It?

In exceptional circumstances, Camden may grant a second three-month TEN, but the total exemption period cannot exceed six months. After that, if the property is still licensable, you must hold a licence or have a duly made licence application that is still awaiting determination or appeal; otherwise, you risk enforcement — civil penalties of up to £40,000 under section 249A of the Housing Act 2004, plus potential rent repayment order exposure of up to 24 months of rent for qualifying offences committed on or after 1 May 2026.

What Happens If You Do Not Qualify

If Camden refuses your TEN notification and the refusal stands after any appeal period, or you continue letting a licensable property without making an effective TEN notification or duly made licence application, Camden can pursue prosecution or a civil penalty notice. Operating an unlicensed HMO under section 72(1) of the Housing Act 2004 carries an unlimited fine on prosecution. A duly made TEN notification or licence application provides statutory protection while Camden decides it and during the relevant appeal period.

For a step-by-step walkthrough of the full licensing process — which scheme applies to your property, the documents you need, the portal submission, and the fee breakdowns — the Camden Landlord Licensing Guide covers every stage from classification through to renewal.

The Practical Decision

A TEN makes sense only if your property genuinely will not need a licence within three months. If there is any chance the occupancy stays the same, applying for the licence immediately is cheaper than risking enforcement later. Camden's licensing fees (£1,570 for a standard section 254 HMO under the 2026/27 schedule) are a fraction of even a modest civil penalty, and submitting a complete application gives you statutory "duly made" protection from prosecution while the council processes it.

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