Havering Public Register of Licensed Properties

Every London borough that runs a property licensing scheme is required by Section 232 of the Housing Act 2004 to maintain a public register of licensed properties. Havering is no exception. If you are a tenant checking whether your landlord holds a valid licence, or a landlord wanting to confirm your own property appears correctly, the register is where you start.

What the Register Shows

Havering's public register is accessible through the council's housing web portal and can be searched by property address or postcode. Each entry shows:

• The licensed property address
• The licence holder's name and contact address
• Managing agent details (if applicable)
• Licence start and expiry dates
• Maximum permitted number of occupants and households
• Room-by-room occupancy allocations (for HMO licences)

The register covers all three licensing types operating in Havering: mandatory HMO licences (borough-wide, properties with 5+ occupants from 2+ households), additional HMO licences under Scheme 3 (borough-wide, 3–4 occupants from 2+ households), and selective licences under Scheme 2 (seven designated wards only).

A Missing Entry Does Not Mean Unlicensed

This is the most misunderstood point. Havering processes thousands of licence applications across 20 wards. Administrative processing lags mean there can be a delay between a duly-made application being submitted and the property appearing on the public register. A property may have a valid pending application — the landlord has submitted all documents and paid the Part A fee — without yet showing on the register.

If you are a tenant and the property does not appear, that could mean the landlord has an application in progress, or it could mean the property genuinely has no licence. You can contact the licensing team directly at [email protected] or 01708 432006 to ask about a specific address.

If you are a landlord who needs proof of application status for a mortgage lender, insurance provider, or court proceedings, do not rely on the register. Request a formal written confirmation of "duly made" status directly from the council. This is standard practice during the processing period.

Why the Register Matters for Tenants

Beyond simple verification, the register has practical consequences:

Rent Repayment Orders. If a property is genuinely unlicensed — no application submitted, no temporary exemption in place — tenants can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order. For offences committed before 1 May 2026, the maximum is 12 months' rent; for offences committed on or after that date, the Renters' Rights Act 2025 raises the maximum to 24 months.

Section 21 notices. From 1 May 2026, landlords can no longer use Section 21 to seek possession under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Council enforcement. Havering asks anyone who suspects a property requires a licence but is missing from the public register to report it to the council.

Why the Register Matters for Landlords

If your property is licensed but does not appear on the register, or appears with incorrect details — wrong managing agent, outdated conditions, incorrect occupancy limits — contact the licensing team to correct it. A register entry that shows expired dates or missing agent details can create problems with mortgage lenders who check licensing status as part of buy-to-let compliance.

If your circumstances change during the licence term — you switch managing agent, the property ownership transfers, or you reconfigure rooms — you need to apply for a variation. A property licence is non-transferable: a sale terminates the existing licence on the date of completion, and the new owner must submit a fresh application.

Checking Licensing for a Property You Want to Buy

If you are purchasing a rental property in Havering, the register tells you whether the current owner holds a valid licence. But it also tells you what the property's licensing obligations will be once you take ownership. Since the licence does not transfer with the sale, you will need to submit your own application and pay the full two-stage fee from scratch.

Check the designated ward map to confirm whether the property falls in one of the seven selective licensing wards, and whether its occupancy profile requires a selective, additional or mandatory HMO licence.

Our Havering landlord licensing guide covers the full application process, documents, fees and conditions for all three schemes — so you know exactly what the register entry should look like once your licence is granted.

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