Hackney Property Licence Application: Step-by-Step Portal Guide

Where to Apply

All property licence applications in Hackney go through the council's online portal at propertylicensing.hackney.gov.uk. If you cannot apply online, contact the Private Sector Housing Team by calling 020 8356 4866 or emailing [email protected].

The same portal handles selective licences, additional HMO licences, and mandatory HMO licences. The process is identical in structure; the difference is which scheme applies and which fee you pay.

The Eight Application Steps

1. Create an account on the licensing portal. One account per applicant — the licence holder is normally the person receiving rent (the legal owner or head leaseholder).

2. Enter property and occupancy data. Verify the address against the council's database, then input the structural layout: room count, room dimensions, and the makeup of each household. Get this right — incorrect occupancy details can result in the application being assessed under the wrong scheme.

3. Upload mandatory documents. You need:

• Gas safety certificate (current, issued within the past 12 months)
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR, valid five years, satisfactory — no C1 or C2 codes)
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC, valid 10 years, minimum rating E)
• Scaled floor plans showing room dimensions in square metres (mandatory for HMOs, strongly recommended for selective)
• Current tenancy agreement
• Fit-and-proper person declaration

4. Confirm interested-party notifications. Before or on the day you submit, you must serve written notice on all freeholders, mortgage lenders, joint owners, and managing agents. The portal asks you to declare this has been done.

5. Sign the declaration and pay Part A. The fit-and-proper declaration covers criminal history, housing enforcement history, and bankruptcy. Part A is non-refundable: £555 for selective, £840 for additional or mandatory HMO.

6. Get your reference number. Once Part A processes, the portal issues a unique application reference number. This makes your application legally "duly made" — proof that you have submitted and are covered while the council processes it.

7. Council assessment and Part B invoice. Officers review your documents, then issue a notice of intent setting out proposed licence conditions and maximum occupancy limits. You have at least 14 days to lodge written representations. After that period, the council issues the Part B invoice: £370 for selective, £560 for HMO.

8. Licence granted. Once you pay Part B, the formal licence is issued for up to five years, conditions become binding, and the public register is updated.

Common Pitfalls

Submitting without all documents does not count as "duly made." If you pay Part A but have not uploaded valid certificates, the application is incomplete. Your property remains legally unlicensed and you are exposed to enforcement action — and the Part A fee is gone.

The council cannot reply to progress-update emails. The portal says it cannot respond to emails asking for updates. Track status through the portal itself.

Wrong scheme = wasted fee. If you apply for a selective licence but the property actually needs an HMO licence (because you miscounted households), the Part A fee is forfeit.

For a full walkthrough of documents, fee calculations, discount stacking, and a pre-submission checklist, see the Hackney landlord licensing guide.

See more England guides →