Property licensing
About property licensing schemes and how to apply for a licence.
Why we license properties
Property licensing helps us to regulate the condition and management of private rented properties in the borough. We license properties to:
- improve property standards and management
- help address anti-social behaviour (ASB) issues
- protect our residents from rogue landlords.
It is a criminal offence for landlords and managing agents to let out a property that is not properly licensed.
If an offence is committed, we may either:
- start criminal prosecution proceedings
- consider giving a fine of up to £40,000 for each offence against each person responsible for letting an unlicensed privately-rented property
We may also make an application for a Rent Repayment Order that will mean the landlord has to pay back up to 12 months rental income from the property.
You can find out more in our Enforcement and Prosecution Policy and Fixed Penalty Charging Policy.
Properties that we license
We run 3 property licensing schemes. If your property meets one of the descriptions listed below, you need to apply for a property licence.
Mandatory licensing
- All houses or flats where there are five or more unrelated people, forming two or more households, and who share amenities such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet facilities.
- All buildings occupied by five or more unrelated people, forming two or more households, and consisting of bedsits or flats that are not fully self-contained (for example, occupiers need to leave their bedsit / flat to use a bathroom or kitchen).
Search our property licence register
Additional licensing
- All houses or flats where there are three or four unrelated people, forming two or more households, and sharing facilities such as a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.
- All buildings occupied by three or four unrelated people, forming two or more households, and consisting of bedsits or flats which are not fully self-contained (eg. occupiers need to leave their bedsit/flat to use a bathroom)
- Any building that has been converted into self-contained flats and where the standard of conversion does not meet the Building Regulations 1991 and where all of the flats are tenanted and under one single ownership (commonly known as S257 HMOs).
- All flats let to three or four unrelated persons, forming two or more households, located within a purpose-built block of flats and not covered by the mandatory licensing scheme.
Selective licensing
All privately-rented accommodation occupied by either one or two people, whatever their relationship, or occupied by a single family or household and located within:
- Finsbury Park
- Hillrise
- Tollington
Current additional licensing and selective licensing schemes
A borough-wide additional licensing scheme has been in operation since 1 February 2021 and our current selective licensing scheme covering Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise wards has been operating since May 2024.
