Redbridge Property Licence Renewal: Expiry Dates and How to Renew

A standard Redbridge property licence lasts five years from the date of grant. But the licence, the licensing scheme, and the property's circumstances can all create different expiry pressures — and missing any of them puts you back to unlicensed status.

How Long a Licence Lasts

A standard licence runs for five years from the date the council grants it, not from when you applied. If processing took three months, the licence still runs five years from the grant date.

Shortened licences of one year are issued in specific situations:

• The property is a small HMO (up to six occupants) established after 6 December 2019 without planning permission under Redbridge's borough-wide Article 4 Direction
• A large HMO (seven or more occupants, sui generis use class) has been operating for less than 10 years without explicit planning permission
• The council has management or fit-and-proper concerns that warrant closer oversight

For an unpermitted small HMO, the one-year licence gives you 12 months to seek planning approval or written confirmation that no enforcement action will be taken. If planning issues are resolved at renewal, the council can grant a standard five-year licence.

When the Licensing Schemes Expire

The licence and the scheme are separate clocks:

• Selective Scheme 3 (Ilford Town, Valentines): runs for five years from 1 November 2023
• Selective Scheme 4 (15 wards): runs for five years from 8 April 2024
• Additional HMO licensing: in force borough-wide from 18 September 2023 through 17 September 2028
• Mandatory HMO licensing: national requirement with no expiry date

If a scheme expires and the council does not renew it, that selective designation no longer applies. Check the council's current scheme notice for how an existing licence is treated at the designation's end.

The 2024 General Approval makes scheme renewal easier for councils — Redbridge no longer needs Secretary of State consent to extend selective licensing, only a 10-week public consultation and evidence meeting Section 80 criteria.

How to Renew

Renewals go through the same online portal as first applications. The council recommends submitting a renewal application at least one month before the expiry date on your current licence.

The critical legal protection: if you submit a valid renewal application before the existing licence expires, the current licence stays in force under Section 283 of the Housing Act 2004 until the council determines the renewal. This means there's no gap in coverage while the council processes your new application.

If you miss the expiry date without submitting a renewal, the property becomes unlicensed immediately. You're then exposed to civil penalties (up to £30,000), prosecution, and tenant rent repayment orders.

Renewal Is a Fresh Application

A renewal isn't a rubber stamp — it's a new application with new Part A and Part B fees at the current year's rates. You'll need to provide updated documents:

• Current Gas Safety Certificate
• EICR completed within the last five years
• Updated floor plans if the layout has changed
• Fresh PAT testing results
• Current EPC (still A–E)
• Updated fit and proper declarations

If you've maintained LLAS accreditation, submit proof again for the £35 Part B discount.

What Triggers a New Application Instead of Renewal

A licence is tied to a specific person and a specific property. These events terminate the existing licence and require a completely new application:

• The property is sold or transferred to a new owner
• A new person takes over as licence holder; a change of managing agent alone ends the licence only if the agent becomes the licence holder
• The property's use changes (e.g., from selective to HMO)

In each case, the new owner or manager must apply and pay full Part A and Part B fees.

Tracking the Dates

With five-year licence terms, scheme expiry dates, and annual certificate renewals all running on different timelines, it's easy to miss a deadline. The Redbridge Landlord Licensing Guide includes a renewal and scheme expiry calendar that maps every date — licence expiry, scheme expiry, Gas Safety renewal, EICR renewal — so you can set reminders well in advance.

See more England guides →