Islington Property Licensing: A Complete Guide for Landlords

The Three Licensing Regimes

Every rented property in Islington potentially falls under one of three licensing schemes — and landlords frequently get caught by the one they didn't know about.

Mandatory HMO licensing is the national scheme. Five or more people from two or more separate households sharing amenities need this licence. It applies borough-wide, permanently.

Additional HMO licensing is Islington's local extension. Three or four people from two or more households, plus Section 257 converted blocks (buildings converted into self-contained flats where the conversion failed 1991 Building Regulations and less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied). The current scheme runs borough-wide from 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2031.

Selective licensing covers non-HMO rentals — single-person lets, couples, and families — but only in designated wards. Three wards have been covered since May 2024 (Finsbury Park, Hillrise, Tollington), and seven more joined from 23 November 2026 (Barnsbury, Caledonian, Highbury, Junction, Laycock, Mildmay, Tufnell Park).

Seven wards currently have no selective licensing: Arsenal, Bunhill, Canonbury, Clerkenwell, Holloway, St Mary's & St James', and St Peter's & Canalside. But the borough-wide HMO schemes still apply in these wards if the occupancy triggers them.

How the Schemes Interact

If a property qualifies as an HMO, the HMO licence takes precedence. You don't need a selective licence on top. Selective licensing only applies to properties that aren't HMOs — the single-household rentals in designated wards.

This creates a hierarchy: count the occupants and households first, then check the ward.

Fees at a Glance

• Selective licence: £850 flat fee (Part A £450, Part B £400)
• HMO licence (mandatory or additional): £900 base + £100 per bedroom or letting (Part A £500, Part B £400+)
• Section 257 block licence: £800 flat fee (Part A £450, Part B £350)

Part B discounts can trim up to £150 off: £75 for recognized landlord accreditation, £50 for an EPC rated A–C, and £25 for timely renewal. Late applications or enforcement warnings forfeit all discounts.

What Catches Landlords Out

The most common trap is assuming selective licensing doesn't apply because the property isn't an HMO. If you're letting a flat to one person or a couple in one of the designated wards, you still need a licence.

The second trap is ward boundaries. The same street can sit in two different wards, and postcodes don't align with ward lines. The council's address lookup at propertylicensing.islington.gov.uk is the only reliable check.

The third is fees being non-refundable. Part A is not returned if an application is refused, withdrawn, or rejected for fraudulent or incorrect details.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Civil penalties since 1 May 2026 run up to £40,000 per offence. Islington's baseline for first-time administrative non-compliance starts around £12,000. Tenants or the local authority can apply for rent repayment orders; for qualifying offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, recovery can cover up to 24 months of gross rent. Holding a valid licence is a legal prerequisite for serving a valid possession notice. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 abolished Section 21 notices from 1 May 2026 and revised Section 8 grounds and notice periods.

The Islington Landlord Licensing Guide covers every scheme, the application steps, and the ongoing conditions in a single reference.

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