Islington Public Register of Licensed Properties: How to Search It

Every local authority in England that operates property licensing must maintain a public register of licensed properties under the Housing Act 2004. Islington is no exception — but the council currently runs two separate register interfaces, which creates confusion about which one to trust.

Two Registers, One Borough

Islington's public register is accessible through two interfaces: the older database at licensingsearch.islington.gov.uk and the newer portal register at propertylicensing.islington.gov.uk/public-register. If a result is unclear, confirm the property's status with the council.

What the Register Shows

A register entry identifies a licensed property. The specific fields shown can differ by record, so check the licence certificate or ask the council when you need to confirm the licence type, permitted occupants, conditions, or dates.

Use the register as a lookup aid, not as confirmation of an application or notice that may still be in progress. If a pending application, Temporary Exemption Notice, or recent council decision affects the property, confirm its current status with the council.

Who Uses the Register and Why

Tenants use it to check whether their landlord holds the licence the law requires. If the property should be licensed but does not appear on the register, the tenant may have grounds to apply for a Rent Repayment Order — recovering up to 24 months of gross rent for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026.

Landlords use it to verify their own licence status, confirm that a managing agent has completed the application they were hired to do, and check competitor properties in the same street or block.

Prospective buyers use it during due diligence. A property licence does not transfer on sale — the purchaser needs a fresh application — but seeing the previous owner's licence confirms the property's licensing category and occupancy limit.

What the Register Cannot Tell You

The register will not tell you whether a property needs a licence. A single-household let in Canonbury (one of the seven wards with no selective licensing designation) does not appear on the register because no licence is required. That is not the same as being non-compliant.

Equally, a property that does not appear on the register but sits in a designated ward may have a pending application or may lack a licence; absence alone does not settle its status. An application is legally "made" once the portal form is complete, all mandatory safety certificates are uploaded, and the Part A fee is paid. Confirm the application or licence status with the council.

For a complete guide to working out which licence your Islington property needs — including the ward-by-ward selective licensing map, the occupancy thresholds for mandatory and additional HMO licensing, and the full application process — see our Islington Landlord Licensing Guide.

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