Islington HMO Licence: How to Apply, Costs, and What You Need

Which HMO Licence You Need

Islington runs two borough-wide HMO licensing schemes — mandatory and additional — and both apply across all 17 wards.

Mandatory HMO licensing applies when a property houses five or more people from two or more separate households sharing facilities. This is a national requirement under the Housing Act 2004, in force permanently.

Additional HMO licensing catches smaller shared properties: three or four people from two or more households, plus Section 257 converted blocks. The current designation runs from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2031.

The distinction matters for fees: mandatory and additional HMO licences both start at £900 base plus £100 per bedroom or letting, while Section 257 blocks pay a flat £800.

Documents to Assemble Before You Start

The application is online-only through propertylicensing.islington.gov.uk. The portal has a history of session crashes — assembling everything offline before you log in avoids losing data mid-submission.

You'll need:

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) — dated within the last 12 months, covering all gas appliances, from a Gas Safe registered engineer
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) — dated within the last 5 years, showing a Satisfactory result. Any C1 or C2 defects must be fixed before applying
• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — dated within the last 10 years, rated Band E or above
• Dimensioned floor plans — room-by-room measurements in square metres, showing window positions and fire exits
• Fire Risk Assessment — reviewed annually where required for the HMO
• Mains fire alarm and lighting certificates — if the property has a Grade A or BS 5839 system, annual commissioning certificates are required
• Copies of all tenancy agreements — current tenancies, showing rent, deposit, and occupancy details

The Application Steps

1. Register an account on the licensing portal
2. Start the application — select the correct licence type (mandatory HMO, additional HMO, or Section 257)
3. Enter property details — address, occupancy numbers, household breakdown
4. Upload documents — every certificate and floor plan from your pre-assembled pack
5. Serve statutory notices — you must notify all relevant persons (freeholders, head lessees, mortgage lenders, managing agents) in writing before submitting. The portal asks you to certify this has been done
6. Pay the Part A fee — £500 for mandatory/additional HMO, £450 for Section 257. This covers processing costs
7. Wait for assessment — the council reviews your documents, runs fit-and-proper checks, and may request additional information
8. Pay the Part B fee — £400 (plus bedroom surcharges for HMOs) once the draft licence is approved. Discounts apply at this stage: £75 for LLAS accreditation, £50 for an EPC rated A–C, and £25 for continuous renewal

Your application is legally "made" only when the form is complete, all documents are uploaded, and Part A is paid. A saved draft offers no legal protection.

After the Licence Is Granted

Standard licences run for five years, though the council can shorten this to as little as 12 months for properties with management concerns or late applications. Once granted, you'll face ongoing conditions including annual gas safety submissions, documented six-monthly property inspections, smoke and CO alarm maintenance, and anti-social behaviour management procedures.

Breaking licence conditions carries the same penalties as operating without a licence at all — civil penalties up to £40,000 and rent repayment orders covering up to 24 months of rent.

The Islington Landlord Licensing Guide walks through the entire process from scheme identification to post-grant compliance tracking.

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