Applying for an HMO licence in Brent?
First-time HMO landlord, or just unsure where to start? Brent's new borough-wide Additional licensing scheme came into force on 2 February 2026 — joining the long-running Selective scheme that covers 21 of 22 wards. Most rented properties in Brent now need a licence. We'll inspect your property before you apply, tell you exactly what needs fixing, and (if you'd like) submit the licence application for you. Inspections from £199, licence applications from £295. No jargon, no surprises.
Not sure if your Brent property needs a licence? Almost certainly yes.Brent has both an Additional scheme (covering smaller HMOs of 3 or 4 sharers borough-wide) and a Selective scheme (covering single-family lets in 21 of 22 wards). If your property is in any of those wards and isn't already licensed, you may be operating unlicensed — with fines up to £40,000 and tenants able to claim back up to 24 months' rent. Get clarity before the council finds you.
Which Brent Licence Applies to You?
Brent has multiple HMO licensing schemes running at the same time, and which one applies depends on how many people live in the property and where it sits in the borough. The table below explains each in plain English. Not sure where you fit? Send us the address and number of occupants on WhatsApp — we'll tell you in 5 minutes.
Mandatory
Required where 5 or more people from 2+ households share. Applies to all properties of this size in Brent regardless of ward.
£1,040 (up to 5 hab. rooms) + £25 per extra roomAdditional
Required for any HMO of 3 or 4 people from 2+ households. Includes Section 257 converted blocks where less than two-thirds are owner-occupied. Replaces the previous scheme that ended 31 January 2025 (12-month gap).
£1,040 per property (£940 renewal)Selective
Required for single-family or two-sharer lets in 21 wards across two designations. Designation 1 (3 wards) runs to 31 July 2028; Designation 2 (18 wards) runs to 31 March 2029.
£640 (£600 renewal) · £40 accreditation discountBrent's additional licensing scheme is one of the most recent in London. Applications opened on 17 November 2025 and the scheme came into force on 2 February 2026. Existing landlords who didn't apply at the early £840 rate now pay £1,040. The fee is split into Part 1 (£540 on application, non-refundable) and Part 2 (£500 on grant of licence). If your previous Brent additional licence expired in early 2025 you have been operating without a current scheme licence — apply now.
Borough-Wide Coverage, Wembley Park Aside.
Brent has gone from a patchwork of expired and partial designations to comprehensive borough-wide coverage in the space of three years. With over 13,000 licensed HMOs already on the register and the new additional scheme bringing thousands more 3-or-4 person properties into scope, the council's enforcement reach is at its widest yet.
Designation 2 (live 1 Apr 2024): Alperton · Barnhill · Brondesbury Park · Cricklewood & Mapesbury · Kenton · Kilburn · Kingsbury · Northwick Park · Preston · Queens Park · Queensbury · Roundwood · Stonebridge · Sudbury · Tokyngton · Welsh Harp · Wembley Central · Wembley Hill
Exempt: Wembley Park only
How We De-Risk Your Application.
Brent's licensing team is well-resourced and the council has been actively communicating the new additional scheme. With penalties of up to £40,000 per offence and applications already at the higher £1,040 rate, the cost of a pre-application inspection is small compared to what's at stake on a refused or delayed application.
On-site inspection by an EHO. Full report against Brent's licence conditions and the council's published amenity and room size standards. You get a prioritised action list, not a generic checklist.
Get a quoteWe complete and submit your Mandatory, Additional or Selective licence application via Brent's online portal. Includes plan annotation, document collation and direct liaison with [email protected].
Get a quoteCommon Brent HMO Setups.
Brent's housing stock spans Victorian terraces in Kilburn and Willesden, post-war estate flats around Wembley, large semis converted into HMOs in Cricklewood and Mapesbury, and purpose-built blocks throughout the borough. The licence conditions are uniform but typical findings vary heavily by area.
Kilburn & BrondesburyNW6 · Selective
Dense Victorian and Edwardian terraces, many converted into HMOs in the 1990s and 2000s. Common findings: bedrooms below the 6.51m² minimum, kitchen amenities undersized for current occupancy, tired fire doors that aren't the certified FD30S the licence requires, and EICRs that haven't kept pace with extension works.
Cricklewood & MapesburyNW2 · Selective + Additional
Large semi-detached and terraced houses, often three storeys, converted to HMOs of 5+. Mapesbury's conservation-area constraints affect window upgrades and external alterations. Section 257 blocks are common around the High Road. Typical issues: inadequate fire compartmentation between flats, missing interlinked alarms, and amenity ratios just under the threshold.
Harlesden & Willesden GreenNW10 · Selective Designation 1
Mix of Victorian terraces, post-war infill, and converted commercial-to-residential properties. Designation 1 has been live since August 2023 and the council's enforcement focus here has been heavy. Common issues: damp and mould management gaps (now actionable under Awaab's Law from May 2026), and ASB-related licence conditions.
Wembley Central & HillHA9 · Selective + Additional
Mix of older terraces and post-war estate stock, with growing high-rise build-to-rent around Wembley Park (the only ward NOT in selective). Issues here are frequently around occupancy declarations on newer purpose-built flats, and accurate Section 257 status questions for older converted blocks.
Kingsbury & KentonNW9 · Selective
Mostly inter-war semi-detached housing converted to HMOs, often with rear extensions. Typical issues: extension works without adequate fire-compartmentation, missing emergency lighting, and licence application paperwork that doesn't reflect actual current room layouts.
Questions Brent Landlords Are Asking.
When did Brent's new additional HMO licensing scheme come into force?
The new borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme came into force on 2 February 2026 and runs for five years until 1 February 2031. It replaces Brent's previous additional scheme which ended on 31 January 2025. Applications opened on 17 November 2025. The scheme covers all HMOs occupied by 3 or 4 people from 2+ households across the entire borough — including certain purpose-built blocks of flats and Section 257 converted blocks.
How much does an HMO licence cost in Brent?
From 2 February 2026 the additional or mandatory HMO licence fee is £1,040 for a property with up to 5 habitable rooms (bedrooms plus living/dining rooms), with each extra habitable room adding £25. Renewals are £940. The fee is split into Part 1 (£540 on application) and Part 2 (£500 on grant of licence). Applications received before 2 February 2026 were processed at the previous £840 rate. Selective licence applications are £640 (£600 renewal), with a £40 discount for accredited landlords.
Which Brent wards are covered by selective licensing?
Twenty-one of Brent's 22 wards are now covered by selective licensing across two designations. Designation 1 (live 1 August 2023, runs to 31 July 2028) covers Dollis Hill, Harlesden & Kensal Green and Willesden Green. Designation 2 (live 1 April 2024, runs to 31 March 2029) covers Alperton, Barnhill, Brondesbury Park, Cricklewood & Mapesbury, Kenton, Kilburn, Kingsbury, Northwick Park, Preston, Queens Park, Queensbury, Roundwood, Stonebridge, Sudbury, Tokyngton, Welsh Harp, Wembley Central and Wembley Hill. Only Wembley Park is exempt from selective licensing.
Are Section 257 HMOs covered by Brent's new additional scheme?
Yes — Brent's new additional licensing scheme explicitly includes Section 257 HMOs. These are converted blocks of flats where the conversion did not comply with the Building Regulations in force at the time, still does not comply, and where less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied. Each block requires its own additional licence rather than per-flat licences. This is a meaningful change — many landlords with converted Brent blocks were previously outside the scheme and now need to act.
What's the penalty for operating an unlicensed HMO in Brent?
Brent Council can issue civil penalties of up to £40,000 per offence as an alternative to prosecution. Criminal prosecution carries an unlimited fine. Tenants can apply for Rent Repayment Orders to reclaim up to 12 months of rent. Banning orders are also available. With the new additional scheme borough-wide as of 2 February 2026 and the council actively communicating the change, enforcement activity is expected to step up significantly — particularly for HMOs that have just moved into scope.
Do you work with letting agents managing Brent HMOs?
Yes — we work with letting agents and managing agents handling HMO portfolios. If you'd value an independent third-party compliance check rather than relying on your team's own walkthrough, get in touch about volume arrangements.