HMO licensing in Barking and Dagenham

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,500. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Mandatory HMO licence is charged in two parts, Part A (application, fixed £1,000) and Part B (grant, scaled by size): up to 5 rooms Part B £500 (total £1,500); 6-9 rooms Part B £600 (total £1,600); 10-14 rooms Part B £700 (total £1,700); 15-19 rooms Part B £800 (total £1,800); 20+ rooms Part B £1,000 (total £2,000). A specialist assistance surcharge (from £170 + £10/room) applies to complex applications. Additional HMO licence (3-4 occupants, 2+ households, in force from 9 January 2025): Part A £1,000 + Part B £400 = £1,400. Selective licence (effective 6 April 2025): Part A £650 + Part B £300 = £950. Compliance discounts off the Part B fee: £200 (Silver Award, property meets standards on inspection) or £250 (Gold Award, accredited landlord plus satisfactory inspection). Licences are typically issued for 5 years; unlicensed properties found retrospectively, or late renewals, may receive a 1-year licence at the same fee.

Check the current fee on the council website (lbbd.gov.uk) before you apply.

Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.

National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.

• Two-or-more-storey HMOs require self-closing FD30S fire doors (30-minute fire and smoke protection, cold smoke seals and intumescent strips) on all bedrooms, kitchens and living rooms; gaps around the frame must not exceed 3mm.
• All HMOs must have an automatic mains-wired, interlinked fire alarm system: BS 5839-6 Grade D1/LD2 for one- or two-storey HMOs, or Grade A/LD2 with a control panel and battery back-up for three-or-more-storey HMOs, with a heat detector in the kitchen.
• A British Standard fire blanket must be provided in the kitchen; emergency lighting to BS 5266 is required on the protected escape route where routes are complex or long, and must be certified on installation.
• All bedroom fire doors and final exit doors must have locks openable from the inside without a key; fire precautions must not be powered via a pre-payment/coin-operated electricity meter.
• A fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 must be undertaken and reviewed at least annually or at every change of tenancy.

• Bathroom/toilet provision scales with occupancy: 1 bathroom with WC and wash hand basin for up to 5 persons; 2 bathrooms for 5-10 persons; an additional bathroom per extra 5 persons above 10.
• A full set of kitchen facilities (4-ring cooker, oven, grill, sink min. 500x600mm, fridge-freezer) is required for every 5 occupants sharing; 6 occupants require an added combination microwave/dishwasher; 7-10 occupants require two full sets.
• Fixed space heating must be provided in every bedroom, lounge and hallway, capable of maintaining 21°C (living room), 18°C (bedrooms/kitchen/hall) and 22°C (bathroom) when it is -1°C outside; portable paraffin, fan or LPG heaters are never acceptable.
• Electrical socket provision: minimum 4 sockets per living room and per bedroom-within-a-letting; bedsits with cooking facilities need 4 sockets in the kitchen area plus 4 elsewhere.
• An EICR (5-yearly, no uncorrected Code 1/2 faults), annual gas safety certificate, and an EPC rated E or above (unless a registered exemption applies) must all be in place before letting.

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Annual check for every gas appliance and flue; a copy must be provided to each tenant at the start of their tenancy.
• EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report dated within the last 5 years, with any Code 1 or 2 faults addressed immediately.
• EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate; properties rated F or below must not be let unless improved to E+ or a registered exemption applies.
• Floor plan — Showing room layout, sizes, bathroom and kitchen facilities; hand-drawn plans are accepted for selective licence applications only.
• Fire risk assessment and alarm/emergency lighting certificates — Required for HMOs: a current fire risk assessment plus test certificates for the fire detection/alarm system and (where fitted) emergency lighting.

• lbbd.gov.uk
• lbbd.gov.uk
• lbbd.gov.uk
• lbbd.gov.uk

Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with London Borough of Barking and Dagenham before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.