Havering Landlord Licence Renewal: When to Reapply and What Happens at Expiry

How Long the Licence Lasts

A Havering property licence is granted for up to five years. The exact term depends on when you applied and the council's assessment — most licences granted under the 2026–2031 designations will expire close to the scheme end date of 17 March 2031.

There's one exception that shortens the term significantly: if the council identifies a planning problem. Properties that need HMO planning permission but don't have it (and haven't obtained a Certificate of Lawful Existing Use or Development) receive a truncated one-year licence instead. That gives the landlord 12 months to resolve the planning position before the licence expires and enforcement follows.

When to Submit Your Renewal

Submit your renewal application before the expiry date printed on your current licence. This isn't just good practice — it's your statutory protection.

Under Section 72(4) (HMO) and Section 95(3) (selective) of the Housing Act 2004, a valid renewal application submitted before expiry maintains your "duly made" status. This means you can continue letting the property while the renewal is being processed, without being exposed to prosecution for unlicensed operation.

If your licence expires and you haven't submitted a renewal, the property becomes unlicensed immediately. There's no grace period, no automatic extension, and no warning. You're exposed to civil penalties of up to £40,000 per offence under the Housing Act 2004 as amended, effective from 1 May 2026.

What the Renewal Involves

A renewal follows the same process as a new application. You'll need:

• Updated compliance documents (current Gas Safety Certificate, EICR within five years, valid EPC)
• Fresh fit-and-proper declarations
• Payment of Part A on application and Part B if the council approves a draft licence
• Updated floor plans if the property layout has changed
• New interested party notifications if ownership or mortgage circumstances have changed

The fee structure is the same as a new application, and the same discounts apply (accredited landlord, EPC C+). However, if the council issued a warning letter for unlicensed operation before your renewal — even if it relates to a gap between the old and new schemes — you lose access to all Part B discounts.

The 2031 Scheme Expiry

The current selective and additional HMO licensing designations expire on 17 March 2031. Individual licences usually last up to five years, and the expiry date is stated on each licence.

What happens after 17 March 2031 depends on the council. Havering may:

• Renew the designations with a new five-year scheme (the most likely outcome given the borough's enforcement trajectory)
• Modify the geographic scope (adding or removing wards from selective licensing)
• Let the designations expire without replacement

Mandatory HMO licensing is a national statutory requirement and continues indefinitely regardless of local scheme decisions.

If an individual licence expires, it must be renewed or replaced under the scheme then in force; a new designation does not automatically renew an individual licence.

Property Sales and Transfers

A property licence is non-transferable. If you sell the property, the licence terminates automatically on the date of completion. The buyer cannot operate under your licence and must submit their own fresh application.

This also means there's no pro-rata fee refund for unexpired licence time. If you sell a property two years into a five-year licence, the remaining three years of Part B compliance monitoring fees aren't refunded.

Keeping Track

The simplest way to avoid a lapsed licence is a calendar reminder set for three months before expiry. That gives you time to renew safety certificates, prepare updated documents, and submit the renewal application before the deadline.

The Havering Landlord Licensing guide includes a five-year compliance tracker that maps licence renewal dates alongside annual gas safety and periodic EICR deadlines.

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