Redbridge Selective Licensing in Seven Kings, Barkingside, and Goodmayes

Scheme 4 and These Three Wards

Seven Kings, Barkingside, and Goodmayes are three of the 15 wards covered by Redbridge's Selective Licensing Scheme 4, which came into force on 8 April 2024. If you let a privately rented property in any of these wards to a single person, a couple, a single family, or two unrelated individuals, you need a selective licence, unless it forms part of a qualifying Section 257 converted block covered by an Additional HMO licence.

These wards sit in the eastern and central parts of the borough. Seven Kings and Goodmayes run along the rail corridor between Ilford and Chadwell Heath, with a high density of converted Victorian terraces in the private rented sector. Barkingside sits further north, with a mix of family homes and smaller rental properties around the High Street and Fullwell Cross area.

What Triggers a Licence in These Wards

The licence type depends on who lives in the property, not the ward:

• Single-household lets (one person, a couple, a family, or two unrelated people) → selective licence required because these wards are in Scheme 4
• Three or four people from two or more households → additional HMO licence (borough-wide, regardless of ward)
• Five or more people from two or more households → mandatory HMO licence (borough-wide)

The selective designation fills the gap for properties that would otherwise fall below the HMO threshold. In all three wards, HMO licensing also applies — a shared house with three unrelated tenants needs an additional HMO licence, not a selective one.

Fees (2026/27)

The selective licensing fee is uniform across all Scheme 4 wards:

• Part A: £371.05 (non-refundable except for duplicate applications or legally exempt properties; paid on submission)
• Part B: £626.64 standard / £591.64 with LLAS accreditation discount
• Total: £997.69 standard / £962.69 accredited

Completing an accredited landlord training course such as LLAS before your application saves £35 on the Part B fee. If you have not yet completed accreditation, you have up to 18 months after the licence is granted to do so.

Postcode Boundaries vs Ward Boundaries

The IG3 postcode covers parts of both Seven Kings and Goodmayes, but it also extends into Chadwell ward. A postcode alone does not tell you whether your property falls within the Scheme 4 designation. Check the property address against the council's interactive Scheme 4 ward map. Properties on boundary streets may fall in or out of the designation depending on which side of the road they are on.

Key Dates

Scheme 4 started on 8 April 2024 and runs for five years. A landlord letting a licensable property without a valid licence or duly made application risks a civil penalty of up to £30,000. A Rent Repayment Order can recover up to 24 months' rent for qualifying offences committed on or after 1 May 2026.

For the complete application walkthrough — documents, portal steps, fee timing, and licence conditions — see the Redbridge Landlord Licensing Guide.

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