Check if your rented property needs a property licence
Some privately rented homes in London need a property licence. If your rented home needs a licence, your landlord is responsible for obtaining it.
Holding the correct property licence is a legal requirement and demonstrates that the property is suitable for occupation and managed to an acceptable standard.
As a tenant, if you're concerned that your landlord might not be complying with their legal obligations, it is worth checking if they have obtained the proper licence. If they haven't, or if you think they're breaching the terms of the licence, you might be entitled to claim some of your rent back.
Enter your postcode below to find out whether your privately rented home should have a property licence.
Before you start
Make sure:
- you are not a council or housing association tenant
- at least one person in the property pays rent
- the property is not occupied entirely by the owner and/or members of their family
- the property is not solely occupied by a resident landlord and up to two lodgers.
What is property licensing
Property licensing helps councils to crack down on rogue landlords. It can protect the health and safety of tenants and improve the quality of privately rented homes.
There are three different types of property licence:
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Mandatory HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing - covers most homes shared by 5 or more people, in 2 more households (i.e. where they are not all part of the same family), where some or all tenants share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen.
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Additional HMO licensing - generally covers smaller homes shared by 3 or 4 people in 2 or more households, where some or all tenants share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen.
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Selective licensing - can cover all privately rented properties in a specific area.
London property licensing schemes
The map below displays the property licensing schemes currently in place in London.
Why you need to know if your rented home needs a licence
- If your landlord has served a section 21 notice of possession, this will not be valid if your landlord has failed to apply for or obtain the correct property licence on the date that the notice was served. Section 21 notices are used to begin eviction proceedings.
- You may be entitled to apply for a Rent Repayment Order for the period in which your home does not have the correct licence. A rent repayment order is a financial award decided by a tribunal, requiring a landlord to pay back up to 12 months' rent to a tenant. Organisations such as Justice for Tenants offer free advise on Rent Repayment Orders.
- If your landlord has not obtained the correct property licence, they may be subject to enforcement action from your local council
Find out more about your rights as a renter, even if your home doesn't require a property licence.
How to report an unlicensed property
If you landlord is renting out a property without the required property licence, they are committing an offence. Your landlord may also be committing an offence by breaching the terms of their licence (for example by renting it out to too many people, behaving abusively to tenants or refusing to make urgent repairs.
If you think your home is unlicensed, does not have the correct licence or you think your landlord may be breaching the terms of their licence, use our tool to report this to your local council to investigate.
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