Haringey Public Register of Licensed Properties

What the Register Is and Who Maintains It

Under Section 232 of the Housing Act 2004, Haringey Council is required to keep a public register of every property that holds a licence under its mandatory HMO, additional HMO and selective licensing schemes. This isn't optional or discretionary — it's a statutory duty that applies to every local authority operating licensing schemes in England.

The register is publicly searchable. Anyone can check it — tenants verifying their landlord's compliance, letting agents running due diligence, mortgage lenders assessing portfolio risk, or landlords confirming their own licence status before a renewal deadline.

What Information the Register Contains

Each entry in Haringey's licensed properties register includes:

• Property address — the full postal address of the licensed dwelling
• Licence holder name and contact address — the person legally responsible for the licence (not necessarily the freeholder)
• Managing agent details — if a letting agent or property manager holds day-to-day responsibility
• Property profile — structural information about the dwelling type
• Maximum permitted occupancy — the number of people allowed to live in the property under the licence conditions
• Licence type — mandatory HMO, additional HMO or selective

This matters for tenants in particular. If you're renting a shared house in one of Haringey's 14 selective licensing wards and want to know whether your landlord actually has a licence, the register is the council's record of licensed properties. The absence of an entry can be significant — but a pending application may not appear, because the register lists licensed properties rather than applications still under review.

Why Landlords Should Care About the Register

Being on the register isn't just about ticking a compliance box. It has practical consequences:

Tribunal evidence. Register entries can serve as evidence in First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) proceedings. If a tenant applies for a Rent Repayment Order, the register can help establish whether the property was licensed at the relevant dates. Since the Renters' Rights Act 2025 reforms took effect in May 2026, RROs can cover up to 24 months' gross rent — making the register entry a document with real financial stakes.

Tenant verification. Informed tenants increasingly check the register before signing a tenancy. An entry shows that a licence has been issued; it does not by itself confirm ongoing compliance with every safety requirement or licence condition.

Portfolio management. Landlords with multiple properties across Haringey can use the register to cross-check their own licence expiry dates. Licences granted partway through the selective licensing scheme's term still expire when the scheme itself ends (17 November 2027 for the current selective scheme), regardless of when they were issued.

How to Search the Register

Haringey's licensing portal at propertylicensing.haringey.gov.uk includes the public register function. You can search by property address to check whether a specific dwelling holds a current licence.

If the address lookup returns no result, that doesn't automatically mean the property is unlicensed — it could be exempt (owner-occupied with up to two lodgers, managed by a registered social housing provider, or covered by a Temporary Exemption Notice), or its application could still be pending. If no application is pending and the property should be licensed based on its ward, occupancy and household composition, the missing entry may indicate a compliance gap.

For boundary properties — flats within a converted building, addresses on roads that straddle ward lines — the register search may not resolve individual units clearly. In those cases, contact Haringey's Private Sector Housing Team directly at [email protected] for written confirmation of a specific unit's licensing status.

The Register and Your Licence Application

When Haringey grants your licence and you pay the Part B fee, your property goes onto the register. The entry stays for the duration of the licence. If you sell the property, the licence is revoked and the entry is removed — the new owner must apply fresh.

If your details change (new managing agent, different contact address), you need to submit a formal variation to the council. The register reflects the licence as issued; it won't update automatically when you switch agents.

Our Haringey landlord licensing guide covers the full application process from address check through to licence grant — including how to verify your ward, gather your documents, and navigate the Metastreet portal step by step.

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