Applying for an HMO licence in Islington?
First-time HMO landlord, or just unsure where to start? Islington's renewed Additional HMO scheme came into force on 1 February 2026 — and selective licensing is expanding to 10 wards from 23 November 2026, with applications open now. The borough is in transition right now. 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 Islington property needs a licence? Probably yes — and the rules are changing.Islington's Additional scheme covers smaller HMOs (3 or 4 sharers) borough-wide, with stricter rules for converted blocks (single freehold ownership only). The Selective scheme is expanding from 3 to 10 wards. If you're renting out in Islington and you don't yet have a licence, you may already 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 Islington Licence Applies to You?
Islington 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. Per-letting fee structure with discounts for accreditation and EPC rating.
£900 + £100 per letting · £1,400 for 5-bedAdditional
Required for any HMO of 3 or 4 people from 2+ households across the entire borough. Includes Section 257 (with single freehold restriction). Different fee rates apply for Section 257.
£900 + £100 per letting (same as mandatory)Selective
Currently covers Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise. Approved expansion adds Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction and Laycock — start date TBC.
£850 (£75 accreditation + £50 EPC discounts)Islington defines a "letting" as a bedsit or bedroom in a shared house — so HMO fees scale with occupancy. Accredited landlords and property managers can get a £75 discount, and there's a £50 discount if the property has an EPC rating of A, B or C. All licence application fees are payable in two instalments. Different fee rates apply for Section 257 HMOs compared to standard HMOs — confirm the current published rate with the council.
One of London's Longest Track Records.
Islington Council ran a pilot HMO licensing scheme in Caledonian and Holloway Roads from 2015 — one of the earliest discretionary schemes in London. The borough-wide additional scheme followed in February 2021, with selective licensing in Finsbury Park added the same year. The 2025 renewal cycle has expanded both schemes' reach, signalling the council intends to maintain and increase enforcement pressure through 2031.
Approved expansion (23 October 2025) — start date TBC: Barnsbury · Caledonian · Tufnell Park · Mildmay · Highbury · Junction · Laycock
Note that 2022 ward boundary changes affect which streets fall within the Finsbury Park designation. Use the council's postcode checker to verify scope. Once the expansion takes effect, 10 of Islington's 16 wards will require selective licensing for single-household lets.
How We De-Risk Your Application.
Islington is in transition: a brand new additional scheme just months in, an approved selective expansion still pending start date. Many landlords need to either renew their previous licence under the new framework or apply for the first time under the expanded selective scheme. The cost of a pre-application inspection is small compared to a refusal under conditions you weren't aware applied.
On-site inspection by an EHO. Full report against Islington'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 Islington's online portal. Includes plan annotation, document collation and direct liaison with the council's licensing team.
Get a quoteCommon Islington HMO Setups.
Islington's housing stock is overwhelmingly Georgian and Victorian terraces in conservation areas, large 1930s semis around Highbury, post-war estates in the south of the borough, and dense conversion stock along the Holloway Road and Caledonian Road corridors. The licence conditions are uniform but typical findings vary heavily by area.
Finsbury Park & TollingtonN4 · N7 · Selective + Additional
Dense Victorian terraces, the heart of Islington's selective licensing area since 2021. Significant student-let activity given proximity to UAL, City University and Islington Sixth Form. Common findings: bedrooms below the 6.51m² minimum, severe overcrowding, kitchen amenities undersized for occupancy, and EICRs that haven't kept pace with extension works.
Caledonian & Holloway RoadN1 · N7 · Pilot zone since 2015
Dense Victorian terrace and conversion stock along the Holloway Road and Caledonian Road. Pilot HMO licensing since 2015 — the longest enforcement track record in Islington. Caledonian ward in approved selective expansion. Common findings: Section 257 status questions, fire compartmentation in 1980s-90s conversions, and licence applications that don't reflect actual current room layouts.
Highbury & MildmayN5 · N1 · Approved expansion
Mix of Victorian terraces and Georgian villas, often three storeys, converted to professional HMOs of 5+. Both wards in approved selective expansion. Conservation-area constraints around Highbury affect external alterations and window upgrades. Common issues: heritage constraints on fire door upgrades, single-staircase escape routes, and converted upper-floor flats above retail with fire separation issues.
Hillrise & Tufnell ParkN19 · N7 · Selective + expansion
Mostly Victorian terraces with some inter-war stock. Hillrise already in selective; Tufnell Park in approved expansion. Typical issues: extension works without adequate fire-compartmentation, gas safety certificates not aligned to actual tenant occupancy dates, and Section 257 status questions for older converted blocks (Islington's single-freehold rule is stricter than most boroughs).
Barnsbury & JunctionN1 · N19 · Approved expansion
Georgian and Victorian terraces in conservation areas — Barnsbury is among London's most architecturally protected areas. Both in approved selective expansion. Issues are frequently around heritage constraints affecting fire safety upgrades, listed-building consent requirements, and very tight room sizes in original Georgian layouts that don't comply with modern HMO minimum bedroom dimensions.
Questions Islington Landlords Are Asking.
When did Islington's renewed additional HMO licensing scheme come into force?
Islington's renewed borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme came into force on 1 February 2026 and runs for five years until 31 January 2031. It replaced the previous scheme that ended 31 January 2026 — there was no gap in coverage. The renewal was approved at the council's Executive meeting on 23 October 2025. The scheme covers all HMOs of 3 or 4 people from 2+ households across the entire borough, plus Section 257 converted blocks where all flats are privately rented under one single freehold ownership.
How much does an HMO licence cost in Islington?
Islington Council charges £900 plus £100 per letting for HMO licences (mandatory and additional) — so a 5-bedroom shared house comes to £1,400. A "letting" is defined as a bedsit or bedroom in a shared house. Selective licence applications are £850 per property. Accredited landlords and property managers can get a £75 discount. There is a £50 discount if the property has an EPC rating of A, B or C. Different fee rates apply for Section 257 HMOs. All licence application fees are payable in two instalments.
Which Islington wards are covered by selective licensing?
Currently three wards: Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise. The selective scheme has been operating since 2021 in Finsbury Park and was extended to Tollington and Hillrise in May 2024. On 23 October 2025 the council approved expansion to seven more wards: Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction and Laycock — bringing the total to 10 wards once the new designation takes effect. The start date for the expanded scheme has not yet been confirmed by the council.
Are Section 257 HMOs covered by Islington's additional scheme?
Yes, but with a notable restriction. Islington's additional scheme covers Section 257 HMOs only where all of the flats are privately rented and the building is under ONE SINGLE freehold ownership — stricter than most London boroughs which allow "effectively under same control." Different fee rates apply for Section 257 HMOs compared to standard HMOs. Mixed-ownership blocks where some flats are owner-occupied or under separate freehold are typically outside the scope of additional licensing in Islington.
What's the penalty for operating an unlicensed HMO in Islington?
Civil penalties up to £40,000 per offence apply, criminal prosecution carries an unlimited fine, and Rent Repayment Orders can reclaim up to 12 months' rent under existing rules — extending to 24 months under the Renters' Rights Act 2025. Section 21 notices cannot be served on tenants of an unlicensed property. Islington Council ran a pilot HMO licensing scheme in Caledonian and Holloway Roads from 2015, giving them one of the longest enforcement track records in London. The Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods has stated publicly that the council is targeting areas where renters are most vulnerable.
Do you work with letting agents managing Islington 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.