Islington HMO Room Sizes and Licence Conditions

Islington's Room Sizes Are Stricter Than the National Minimums

The national mandatory conditions set minimum bedroom sizes at 6.51 m² for a single room and 10.22 m² for a double. Islington's local standards go further, and it's the local figures that apply to every HMO licence in the borough.

Single bedroom (with access to a separate shared kitchen): 8.0 m² — nearly 1.5 m² above the national minimum. A room that technically passes under national rules can still be too small for Islington.

Double or shared bedroom (two occupants): 11.0 m².

Single bedroom with en-suite cooking (kitchenette inside the room): 11.0 m².

Any room measuring less than 6.51 m² cannot be used as a bedroom for anyone, regardless of age. That's a hard national floor that no local discretion can override.

The Ceiling Height Rule

When measuring usable floor area, any part of the room where the ceiling is below 1.5 metres doesn't count. This hits attic conversions, rooms under sloping roofs, and mezzanines hard. A room might measure 10 m² at floor level but only 7 m² of usable space once the low sections are excluded.

Your floor plan measurements must reflect usable area after this exclusion, and inspectors will check.

Shared Kitchen Standards by Occupancy

Islington sets minimum kitchen sizes based on how many people use them:

• 1–3 occupants: 5.5 m² with minimum worktops, sink, and cooking hob
• 4–5 occupants: 7.5 m² with at least one full cooker (4 rings, oven, grill)
• 6–7 occupants: 9.5 m² plus an additional sink or dishwasher
• 8–10 occupants: 11.5 m² with two full cookers and dual sink facilities

Use the relevant local kitchen standard when checking whether the proposed occupancy fits the available space and amenities.

Mandatory Licence Conditions

Every HMO licence in Islington carries statutory conditions under Schedule 4 of the Housing Act 2004, plus Islington-specific additions:

Gas safety: Submit a valid Gas Safety Certificate to the council every year. Not just obtaining one — actively providing it to the licensing team.

Electrical safety: Maintain electrical installations in a safe condition and supply an EICR on request.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms: Working smoke alarms on every storey, CO detectors in every room with a gas or solid fuel appliance. Test them regularly and keep records.

Tenancy management: Provide written terms of occupancy, maintain clean waste storage facilities, and have documented procedures for handling anti-social behaviour.

Property inspections: Documented inspections at least every six months, checking physical condition and licence condition compliance.

What Happens When Conditions Are Breached

Breaching licence conditions carries the same enforcement penalties as operating without a licence at all. Since 1 May 2026, civil penalties reach up to £40,000 per offence. Islington's reported starting point for first-time administrative non-compliance is around £12,000.

A standard licence runs five years. The council can issue shorter terms — sometimes as little as 12 months — where there are management concerns, late applications, planning non-compliance, or a history of enforcement issues.

The Islington Landlord Licensing Guide includes a five-year condition maintenance tracker for logging inspections, certificate renewals, and alarm tests.

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