Ealing Licensing Scheme Renewal and Expiry: What Landlords Need to Know
Ealing landlords consistently confuse two different expiry dates — the date their individual property licence runs out, and the date the council's designation scheme itself expires. They are separate, and mixing them up can leave you unlicensed without realising it.
Current Scheme Expiry Dates
| Scheme | Start date | Expiry date |
|---|---|---|
| Additional HMO licensing (borough-wide) | 1 April 2022 | 31 March 2027 |
| Selective licensing — Designation 1 (3 wards) | 1 April 2022 | 31 March 2027 |
| Selective licensing — Designation 2 (12 wards) | 3 January 2023 | 2 January 2028 |
| Mandatory HMO licensing | 6 April 2006 | No expiry (national statutory requirement) |
Ealing ran a public consultation on the successor additional HMO licensing scheme between July and September 2026. If the council designates a new scheme, it will start after the current one expires.
Your Licence Can Outlast the Scheme
A property licence is granted for up to five years. If the underlying designation scheme expires before your licence does, your licence remains legally valid for its full term. You do not need to reapply early just because the scheme is ending.
However, when your individual licence does expire, any renewal application will be governed by whatever scheme is in force at that point — whether a successor designation with updated conditions and fees, or (if the council does not renew the scheme) no requirement at all.
There Is No Grace Period
When your individual property licence reaches its expiry date, there is no automatic renewal and no statutory grace period. The next day, the property is unlicensed.
Submit a formal renewal application 60 to 90 days before the expiry date. As long as the application is valid (complete documents, Part A fee paid) before the old licence expires, you maintain continuous legal protection — the "valid application pending determination" status prevents a gap where the property could be treated as unlicensed.
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What Changes on Renewal
The successor scheme may come with updated fee schedules, revised licence conditions, new room size or amenity requirements and different discount structures. Renewal is not a rubber stamp of the old licence — the council assesses the property against the rules in force at the time of the new application.
If the property has had licence condition breaches, enforcement notices or complaints during the previous term, expect closer scrutiny. The council may grant a shorter licence (12 months instead of five years) or attach additional conditions.
Mandatory HMO Licensing Does Not Expire
Unlike selective and additional HMO licensing, mandatory HMO licensing is a permanent national requirement under the Housing Act 2004. It does not depend on a local council designation and has no expiry date. If your property meets the mandatory threshold (five or more people from two or more households), it needs a licence regardless of whether any discretionary scheme is running.
The Ealing landlord licensing guide includes a licence lifecycle tracker with renewal calendar prompts and a breakdown of what changes between scheme cycles.
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