London
HMO licensing in Islington
London Borough of Islington requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs additional licensing (bringing smaller HMOs into licensing) and selective licensing (covering other privately rented homes in designated areas). The council does not publish a single licence fee, so check its fees page.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional + Selective
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
Not published
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Islington
Islington designated an expanded selective licensing scheme on 21 August 2026 for private lets to 1 or 2 people or a single household in seven more wards (Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction, Laycock). Applications opened 7 September 2026 and the scheme starts 23 November 2026, running to 22 November 2031. The existing selective scheme in Finsbury Park, Hillrise and Tollington runs 20 May 2024 to 19 May 2029, and the borough-wide additional HMO scheme runs 1 February 2026 to 31 January 2031.
- Announced
- 21 August 2026
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
London Borough of Islington does not publish a single figure we could confirm. Fees are set by the council and reviewed each year, so check its fees page.
Per-letting structure, no standalone total for a standard case. Mandatory and additional HMOs (Property Licensing Fees document, from 1 February 2026): Part A £500 (on application) + Part B £400 plus £100 per letting (on draft licence); total £900 plus £100 per letting, letting fee capped at 21 lettings. Large student developments: Part B £400 + £35 per letting. Discounts (applied to Part B): accreditation £75, EPC A-C £50, renewal £25. Fees cover a 5-year licence.
Fee source: islington.gov.uk (checked 2 October 2026). Fees change during the year, so check the council before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
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.
Additional licence
No single standard fee
Additional HMO licence (borough-wide), new application: £900 plus £100 per letting (a bedroom let to more than one household), with the letting charge capped at 21 lettings. The council publishes a formula, not a single standard total; paid in two parts.
Discounts come off the Part B payment only and are added together: £75 accredited landlord; £50 if the property has a valid EPC rating A, B or C; £25 for renewing with no gap under a previous Islington licensing scheme.
Scheme: From 1 February 2026
Checked 2 October 2026 against islington.gov.uk
Selective licence
£850
Selective licence for a single privately rented property (rented to 1 or 2 people, or a single household) in a designated ward, new application, standard rate; paid in two parts (Part A £450 on application + Part B £400 if a draft licence is issued)
Discounts come off the Part B payment only and are added together: £75 accredited landlord; £50 if the property has a valid EPC rating A, B or C; £25 for renewing with no gap under a previous Islington licensing scheme.
Scheme: From 20 May 2024 to 19 May 2029
Checked 2 October 2026 against islington.gov.uk
Minimum room sizes
| Single bedroom | 6.51 m² minimum floor area for one person aged over 10. |
|---|---|
| Double bedroom | 10.22 m² minimum floor area for two people aged over 10. |
| Child bedroom | 4.64 m² minimum floor area for one person aged under 10; any room under 4.64 m² must not be used as sleeping accommodation. |
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.
Fire safety requirements
- Install and maintain in good working order appropriate smoke alarms on each storey of the house (including half-landings) where there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
- Install a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used wholly or partly as living accommodation (including halls, landings, bathrooms or WCs) that contains a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker.
- Ensure all fire risk assessments are completed by a competent person where required by the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the Building Safety Act 2022 or the Housing Act 2004, and that all recommendations are completed within the recommended timescales.
- Maintain fire-precaution facilities and equipment in good working order, and provide the council with inspection reports and test certificates for any automatic fire alarm system, emergency lighting and firefighting equipment on request.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Provide, maintain and keep in good working order the facilities and equipment specified in the council's Standards for HMOs.
- Ensure floor areas and sanitary provision are sufficient for the number of persons/households stated on the licence, and notify the council of any room with a floor area under 4.64 m².
- Provide adequate facilities for storing, recycling and disposing of waste for the number of occupants, so that bags or loose refuse are not stored outside the property.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current certificate to be given to tenants at the start of the tenancy and made available in a communal location.
- EICR — Valid Electrical Installation Condition Report.
- PAT certificate — Portable Appliance Test certificate covering all electrical appliances supplied within the HMO.
- Automatic fire alarm test certificate — Dated within the last 12 months.
- Emergency lighting test certificate — Dated within the last 12 months (where an emergency lighting system is installed).
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate; the property must not be let with an F or G rating.
Sources
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 Islington before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.