HMO licensing in Hackney

The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,400. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.

Mandatory and Additional HMO licences are both £1,400 total, payable in two instalments (Part A £840 on application, Part B £560 on issue of the draft licence). Selective licence: £925 total (Part A £555, Part B £370). Discounts of £50-£100 off Part B are available for an EPC rating of B or above (£100) or C (£50), or for accredited landlords (£100); a £100 discount off Part A is available for multi-dwelling properties. No separate renewal fee is published; licences must be reapplied for before expiry.

Check the current fee on the council website (hackney.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.

• A smoke alarm must be installed on each storey with living accommodation (bathrooms, lavatories, halls and landings count), kept in proper working order and tested at the start of every tenancy.
• A carbon monoxide alarm is required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker.
• Fire detection equipment, fire alarms and emergency lighting must be serviced and tested to BS 5839 Part 6:2019+A1:2020 (fire alarms) and BS 5266 (emergency lighting), with records and a Fire Risk Assessment produced to the council on request.
• Tenants must be given fire safety advice at the start of each tenancy, including the importance of keeping fire doors closed and escape routes clear.
• All upholstered furniture and mattresses supplied by the landlord must comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire)(Safety) Regulations 1988 (as amended).

• The structure, exterior, and installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation and heating must be kept in repair and proper working order throughout the tenancy.
• Gas safety certificates must be renewed annually and produced to the council on request; electrical installations must be kept safe and in proper working order.
• Inspections of the HMO must be carried out at least every 6 months to check management, condition and contents, with written records kept for the duration of the licence.
• Pest checks must be carried out at least every 6 months, with a treatment programme started within 21 days of any infestation being identified.
• Adequate refuse and recycling receptacles must be provided so waste is not stored outside the property between collections, with regular checks of common parts, gardens and yards.

• Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Renewed annually and produced to the council for inspection; a copy must be provided within 7 days on demand.
• EICR — Declaration and evidence that every electrical installation is safe and in proper working order, provided within 7 days on demand.
• EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate (a rating of B or C may qualify for a fee discount).
• Fire Risk Assessment — Copy to be provided to the council if requested, along with fire alarm and emergency lighting test certificates.
• Written tenancy agreement — Written statement of occupation terms for every occupier, retained and provided to the council within 21 days on demand.

• hackney.gov.uk
• consultation.hackney.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 Hackney before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.