Newham Selective Licence Renewal: How to Renew Before 2028

If your current Newham property licence is approaching its expiry date, you need to act well before it lapses. Letting with an expired licence carries the same penalties as never having had one — civil fines of up to £40,000 under the Renters' Rights Act 2025 framework, prosecution and the risk of a Rent Repayment Order. The renewal process is not automatic, and not every licence qualifies for the streamlined online route.

Who Can Use Online Renewal

Newham offers an online renewal option through the My Newham portal, but only if all four conditions are met:

1. The original application was submitted after 15 May 2023 (i.e. under the current scheme)
2. The existing licence is currently in "Issued" status
3. The licence holder remains the same person — no change of ownership
4. You still have access to the original My Newham portal account used for the first application

If any of these conditions are not met — for example, the property has changed hands, or you originally applied under the 2018–2023 scheme — you need to submit a full new application with the complete fee.

Timing the Renewal

Start the renewal process at least three months before expiry. Newham's processing times vary, and there is no grace period for administrative delays. If your licence lapses while a renewal is pending, a statutory defence applies once Newham has received and verified the complete renewal application and Part A fee as duly made, and while it remains pending.

The current selective and additional licensing designations run until 31 May 2028. The treatment of licences extending beyond that date is unclear if the scheme is not renewed; check with Newham as the designation renewal outcome becomes clear.

Given that Newham has run three consecutive five-year selective licensing schemes, and that since December 2024 councils no longer need Secretary of State approval to renew them, a fourth designation from June 2028 onwards is widely expected. But it is not confirmed.

What the Renewal Costs

A renewal application pays the same fees as a new application. There is no reduced renewal rate. A selective licence renewal costs £750 (£400 Part A, £350 Part B), and an additional HMO renewal costs £1,250 (£400 Part A, £850 Part B).

The same discounts apply: £50 for accredited landlords and £50 for properties with an EPC of C or better. If you claimed discounts on your original licence, make sure the accreditation membership is still active and the EPC has not expired before the renewal submission.

What Documents You Need Again

The renewal requires all the same documentation as a new application — a current Gas Safety Certificate (within 12 months), a satisfactory EICR (within 5 years), a valid EPC, and an up-to-date floor plan if the property layout has changed. If your gas certificate is due to renew in the next month, get it done before submitting the renewal.

You also need to complete the Fit and Proper Person declaration again. Any change in circumstances since the original application — new convictions, civil penalties, involvement with other properties under enforcement action — must be declared.

What If the Property Has Changed

If the licence holder has changed (sale, transfer, death followed by the 6-month notification window expiring), you cannot renew — you need a full new application with a full fee. The same applies if the property layout has changed significantly (additional rooms, conversion from single let to HMO, or vice versa).

A change from selective to additional HMO — for example, because the property now has three tenants from separate households instead of one family — requires a change of licence type. Newham lists a fee of £800 (£250 Part A, £550 Part B) for changing from a single dwelling to an Additional HMO.

The Newham Landlord Licensing Guide includes a renewal timeline tracker that flags certificate expiry dates, the optimal renewal submission window and the documents to refresh before applying.

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