Property licensing
Property licensing helps us to regulate the condition and management of private rented properties in Hackney. Find out about the types of licences available and how to apply for them.
New landlord licensing schemes
We ran a consultation on proposals for 2 new discretionary landlord licensing schemes from 12 June 2025 to 21 September 2025:
- Additional Licensing Scheme
- Selective Licensing Scheme
After reviewing the consultation responses, the cabinet has approved the schemes. They’ll cover most privately rented homes in Hackney.
We’ve now formally made these schemes part of the Housing Act 2004. This means they’re now legal and enforceable.
Both schemes will come into force on 1 May 2026.
We’ll publish details on how to apply when they become available.
To stay updated about the next steps, sign up to Hackney’s landlord licensing newsletter.
Additional Licensing Scheme
This scheme applies to all houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in Hackney. A HMO has 2 or more people forming 2 or more households.
Read the Additional Licensing Designation Notice 2025 (PDF 315kb).
Selective Licensing Scheme
This scheme applies to most privately rented homes in 17 wards across Hackney:
- Brownswood
- Cazenove
- Clissold
- Dalston
- De Beauvoir
- Hackney Central
- Hackney Downs
- Hackney Wick
- Homerton
- King’s Park
- Lea Bridge
- London Fields
- Shacklewell
- Springfield
- Stamford Hill West
- Stoke Newington
- Victoria
You’ll need a licence, regardless of the number of tenants, unless you have a statutory exemption.
Read the Selective Licensing Designation Notice 2025 (PDF 308kb).
Types of licence
The only landlord licensing scheme currently running in Hackney is the mandatory licensing scheme.
This applies to privately rented houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) in the borough which:
- have 5 or more people living in them
- make up 2 or more households
If you don’t have a valid licence, you could get an unlimited fine. You might also get a rent repayment order.
The previous selective and additional licensing schemes have now closed.
Apply for a mandatory property licence
A landlord, managing agent or a third party can apply.
Before you apply
You must comply with the ‘licensing conditions’ which ensure the home you’re renting is properly managed and meets acceptable standards:
- mandatory and additional licensing conditions (PDF 191kb) for all HMOs in Hackney
You need to provide some documents and information when applying:
Apply for a property licence
If you have difficulty applying online, call 020 8356 4866 or email property.licensing@hackney.gov.uk.
Steps after you apply
All information and documents submitted with the application are reviewed to ensure they are valid and complete.
The review comprises:
- ensuring that information submitted meets minimum requirements
- the correct licence fee has been paid
- checks that an appropriate person has been proposed to be the licence holder
- Land Registry checks to ensure all known interested parties are noted in the licence application
- fit and proper person test
If the information submitted doesn’t meet the requirements for the issue of a draft licence we contact the applicant.
- ensuring that information submitted meets minimum requirements
An inspection of the property may be undertaken and a copy of the draft licence is posted to all known interested parties, such as co-owners and mortgage providers.
There is a 21 day period where a representation can be made by interested parties. If a representation is received it’s investigated by private sector housing officer.
An inspection won’t always be done prior to issue of the licence. However, in all cases an inspection will be carried out during the period of the licence.
If there are no representations, or all representations are resolved satisfactorily, a licence is issued to all known interested parties.
Rent repayment order
Rent repayment orders allow tenants to claim back up to 12 months’ rent, housing benefit or universal credit when the landlord has committed an offence.
The housing charity Shelter has lots of information about rent repayment orders, including:
Property Licensing
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