Landlord Obligations in Hammersmith and Fulham: Tenant References and Ongoing Duties

Getting the Licence Is the Beginning, Not the End

Once LBHF grants a property licence, the licence conditions attach for its full duration — typically five years for a standard grant, or shorter for a restricted licence. These are not suggestions. Breaching a licence condition is an offence that can lead to civil penalties, prosecution or revocation of the licence itself.

Most landlords focus on the application process and relax once the licence arrives. The ongoing obligations are where problems actually develop.

Tenant Reference Checks

Licensed properties in Hammersmith and Fulham must have satisfactory management arrangements, which includes taking up references for new tenants. The licence conditions require the licence holder to obtain written references for all prospective occupiers before granting a tenancy.

This means checking:

• Identity and right to rent (a separate legal obligation under the Immigration Act 2014, but referenced in the licence conditions)
• Previous landlord references confirming no history of anti-social behaviour or property damage
• Proof of ability to pay rent (employment reference, bank statement or benefit confirmation)

The references must be retained on file for the duration of the tenancy. An EHO inspection may ask to see them, particularly where complaints about tenant behaviour have been received.

This does not mean running a full credit check on every applicant, though many landlords choose to. The licence condition is about demonstrating that you made reasonable enquiries before letting a person move in.

Property Standards You Must Maintain

The licence conditions require the property to meet a minimum physical standard throughout the licence period:

Safety certificates kept current. The gas safety certificate must be renewed annually and the EICR every five years. Letting either expire while the property is occupied is a licence breach, an offence in its own right under the Gas Safety Regulations and the Electrical Safety Regulations, and potential grounds for licence revocation.

Fire safety equipment tested and working. Smoke alarms on every storey, carbon monoxide alarms near combustion appliances, fire doors (in HMOs) maintained in working order. Alarms must be tested at the start of each new tenancy, and the licence holder must ensure they are not removed or disabled by tenants.

Minimum room sizes enforced. For HMOs, a 6.51-square-metre bedroom for one person or a 10.22-square-metre bedroom for two is permitted only with separate communal living space — at least 12.5 square metres for 3–4 occupants or 16.5 square metres for 5 or more. Without separate communal living space, the minimums are 10.22 square metres for one person and 15 square metres for two. If a room falls below the applicable minimum, it cannot be used as a bedroom. Letting a sub-sized room count toward the occupancy is overcrowding, which is itself a licence breach.

The property kept free from Category 1 hazards. Damp, mould, excess cold, exposed wiring, unstable structures — all scored under the HHSRS. The council can inspect under its Housing Act powers, following the access arrangements in any notice it serves, and a Category 1 hazard finding triggers mandatory remediation.

Notifying the Council of Changes

Check the licence conditions and contact LBHF when important details change. A formal variation is required if the named manager changes or the licence holder changes address. Other changes that may affect the licence include:

• A change of property manager (if an agent takes over or leaves)
• A change in the number of occupants that alters which licence type applies
• Any criminal conviction of the licence holder or manager
• Any enforcement action taken against the licence holder by another council
• Structural changes to the property that affect room numbers, sizes or escape routes

The licence holder is responsible for ensuring required updates are made, even when an agent manages the property.

What Happens at Renewal

LBHF's additional and selective licensing schemes run until 4 June 2027. Licences granted under these schemes expire with them unless renewed. The council opens renewal applications around three months before expiry. Landlords who held a compliant licence throughout the previous period typically face a smoother renewal — the fit-and-proper check draws on the existing record, and the council already holds the property details.

If you hold a restricted licence, check LBHF's renewal requirements before the scheme expiry date.

The Hammersmith and Fulham Landlord Licensing Guide includes a compliance calendar that tracks every ongoing obligation and certificate expiry date across the licence period.

See more England guides →