Islington HMO licensing is already live — and the fee is not refundable
The borough-wide Additional HMO Licensing scheme started on 1 February 2026. Islington charges £900 plus £100 per bedroom, takes the fee when you apply, and states that an incomplete application may be rejected — leaving you to pay again. We supply every document Islington asks for, from one visit.
A rejected application costs you the whole fee Read this first
Islington states plainly that fees are non-refundable once an application is submitted — including if you later sell the property or stop letting it.
It also states that if you do not provide all the required information or documents, your application may be rejected and you will have to pay again to reapply.
For a six-bedroom HMO that is £1,500 gone, and £1,500 again to try a second time. The certificates cost a fraction of the fee they protect.
Work out what the council will charge you
Islington does not charge a flat fee. It charges £900 plus £100 for every bedroom, so the cost rises with the size of the property. Most landlords are surprised by the total.
Additional HMO licence fee calculator
Islington Council fee only. This is not our price.
Paid in two parts — Part A when you apply, Part B if the council decides to grant the licence. Discounts are taken off Part B. Figures from Islington's published fee schedule, "Property Licensing Fees 1 February 2026 onwards".
| Licence type | Fee | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Additional HMO | £900 + £100/bed | 3 or 4 unrelated people, 2+ households, borough-wide |
| Mandatory HMO | £900 + £100/bed | 5 or more unrelated people, 2+ households |
| Section 257 HMO | £900 flat | Converted block, single ownership, all flats tenanted |
| Selective | £850 | Finsbury Park, Hillrise and Tollington wards only |
Everything Islington asks you to upload
Islington's application list is longer than most boroughs. Missing one item is what triggers a rejection — and a rejection is not refunded.
| Document | When required |
|---|---|
| Floor plans | Always |
| Room sizes | Every room except bathrooms, toilets, hallways and landings |
| Kitchen and bathroom details | Always |
| EICR | Always |
| Gas safety certificate | Where the property has a gas supply |
| Fire safety certificate | Where there is a mains wired fire alarm system |
| Fire risk assessment | HMOs where there is no mains wired fire alarm system |
| Emergency lighting certificate | Where emergency lighting is installed |
| EPC | Always |
| PAT test certificate | Where the landlord or agent has provided portable appliances |
| Tenancy agreements | Full agreements including rent and deposit amounts |
| Accreditation certificate | If claiming the accredited landlord discount |
Note the either/or: Islington wants a fire alarm test certificate where a mains wired system is fitted, and a fire risk assessment where one is not. We check which applies before quoting, so you are not paying for a document the council will not ask for.
Overseas landlords: Islington will only accept an application from a non-UK resident or a company not based in the UK where a UK-based managing agent signs a declaration agreeing to be bound by the licence conditions.
Islington Licence Pack — priced by room count
Every document on Islington's list, from one visit, formatted to upload straight to the application. Prices confirmed in writing before any visit is booked. Section 257 blocks are quoted individually — ask.
Often added
| Service | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Legionella risk assessment | £225 | Separate landlord duty under HSE ACOP L8 |
| Asbestos management survey | £275 | Common parts of pre-2000 conversions |
| Fire door certificate | £165 | Where fire doors are fitted to escape routes |
| Fire extinguisher testing | £95 | Annual service of provided extinguishers |
| Express 24-hour turnaround | +£95 | Where you are already at risk of enforcement |
Section 257 HMOs — converted blocks under one owner
You may need a licence without realising it
Islington includes section 257 HMOs inside its Additional licensing scheme. A building is caught if all of the following apply:
- It has been converted into self-contained flats
- The standard of conversion does not meet the Building Regulations 1991
- All of the flats are tenanted
- The building is under one single ownership
Many owners of converted Victorian and Edwardian buildings assume that because each flat is self-contained, no HMO licence applies. In Islington that assumption is wrong, and the offence is the same as any other unlicensed HMO.
The fee is £900 for the whole building, not per bedroom — so a large converted block is proportionally far cheaper to license than a shared house. If you own a converted block in Islington, it is worth checking.
Islington discounts stack — up to £150 off
Unlike most boroughs, Islington states explicitly that where more than one discount applies, they are added together. All reductions come off the Part B payment.
| Discount | Amount | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited landlord | −£75 | Valid certificate in your name from an approved body |
| EPC rating A, B or C | −£50 | Current EPC on the property |
| Renewal with no gap | −£25 | New licence starts as the old one ends |
| Maximum combined | −£150 |
Approved accreditation bodies include LLAS, NRLA, RICS, UKALA, ARLA, Safeagent, PropertyMark and ANUK. If you are not accredited and hold several Islington properties, accreditation usually pays for itself.
An EPC rating of C is achievable on most properties with straightforward measures — and it is worth £50 on every licence you hold, on top of the letting requirements.
What an unlicensed property now costs
Islington's own page understates the penalty Check this
Islington's property licensing page states a fine of up to £30,000 per offence and a Rent Repayment Order of up to 12 months' rent. That page carries a date of 15 April 2026.
Two weeks later the Renters' Rights Act 2025 raised the maximum civil penalty to £40,000 and extended Rent Repayment Orders to 24 months, with effect from 1 May 2026.
Islington's scheme has been running since February, so a landlord who has not yet applied is exposed at the higher figures, not the ones published on the council's page.
Islington also publishes a public register of licensed properties, and tenants are increasingly being encouraged to check it. Median rents in the borough mean a 24-month Rent Repayment Order can exceed the value of a year's income from the property.
The council can also grant a licence for less than the full five years where it finds the property was operating unlicensed beforehand — so a late application can cost more over time as well.
From enquiry to upload-ready file in four steps
Tell us about the property
Postcode, bedroom count, gas supply, and whether there is a mains wired fire alarm. Call, WhatsApp or use the form.
Fixed quote, same day
We confirm which documents Islington will actually require for your property, and the price, in writing.
One visit
Qualified, insured engineers attend together where possible, so tenants are disturbed once.
Your application file
Every document emailed together, usually within 24 hours, ready to upload to Islington's portal.
Islington HMO licensing FAQs
Does my property need an Additional HMO licence?
If it is a house or flat occupied by three or four unrelated people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet — yes, anywhere in Islington. The same applies to buildings occupied by three or four people in bedsits or flats that are not fully self-contained, and to flats in purpose-built blocks let to three or four unrelated people.
Five or more occupants in two or more households need a mandatory HMO licence instead. The fee is the same.
Why is the fee so much higher than other boroughs?
Because Islington charges per bedroom. A four-bedroom HMO is £1,300 and a six-bedroom is £1,500, where a borough charging a flat fee might be £1,000 to £1,250 regardless of size. Larger HMOs are disproportionately affected.
What happens if my application is incomplete?
Islington states it may be rejected, and that you will have to pay again to reapply. The fee is not refunded. This is the single most expensive mistake in the process, and it is entirely avoidable.
Do I need both a fire risk assessment and a fire alarm certificate?
Usually one or the other. Islington asks for a fire safety certificate where there is a mains wired fire alarm system, and a fire risk assessment where there is not. We check which applies to your property before quoting.
I live overseas. Can I still apply?
Only if a UK-based managing agent signs a declaration agreeing to be bound by the licence conditions. Islington will not treat the application as valid otherwise.
Do you submit the application for me?
No. We supply the documents; the application is made by the licence holder through Islington's online portal. Everything we issue is formatted to upload directly.
Tell us about the property
A few details and we'll come back with a fixed quote and the earliest slot, usually the same day.