London
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Havering, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Havering.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Havering introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
Free, occasional licensing updates only. You can unsubscribe at any time.
This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
Live now
A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Borough-wide. Covers most HMOs that fall outside mandatory HMO licensing, including shared houses, shared flats, and bedsit HMOs occupied by 3 or 4 people. Also includes section 257 HMOs (converted buildings where less than two-thirds of units are owner-occupied and conversions did not comply with Building Regulations).
Cabinet approved 10 December 2025. Replaces the previous additional licensing scheme (2021-2026) which was restricted to 6 wards. The new scheme significantly expands to borough-wide coverage. Estimated ~10,474 properties requiring additional and selective licences combined (February 2026 estimate). Consultation ran 14 April – 6 July 2025 (12 weeks); 59% of respondents agreed with the additional HMO licensing proposal, 31% disagreed. Property types covered: HMOs occupied by 3-4 unrelated persons sharing amenities (cooking and/or washing facilities). Also includes section 257 HMOs — converted blocks of flats that do not meet Building Regulations 1991 or subsequent regulations and where less than two-thirds of flats are owner-occupied.. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties subject to mandatory HMO licensing social housing properties subject to management orders properties subject to Temporary Exemption Notices..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Borough-wide. Applies to properties occupied by 5 or more people not all related, who share amenities and live as their main residence. Covers shared houses, bedsits with shared facilities, and mixed self-contained/non-self-contained converted buildings.
Ongoing national mandatory scheme under Housing Act 2004. Mandatory licensing was extended nationally from 1 October 2018 to include properties with 5+ occupants in any storey configuration (previously required 3+ storeys). Minimum room sizes apply for HMOs: 4.64m² (child under 10), 6.51m² (one person over 10), 10.22m² (two persons over 10). Property types covered: HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households. Includes shared houses, student housing, bedsits with shared facilities, mixed self-contained/non-self-contained conversions. Covers standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test HMOs under section 254 of the Housing Act 2004.. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of 3 or more units are exempt from mandatory HMO licensing..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covers 7 designated wards. Applies to all privately rented properties not already subject to mandatory or additional HMO licensing — i.e., single households or two unrelated sharers.
Cabinet approved 10 December 2025. Replaces the previous selective licensing scheme (2021-2026) which covered only 2 wards (Brooklands and Romford Town). The new scheme significantly expands to 7 wards. Consultation ran 14 April – 6 July 2025; 41% agreed with selective licensing proposal, 47% disagreed. A postcode checker is available on the council website to determine if a property falls within a designated ward. A ward map/checker is available via the 'Find Your Councillor' tool on the council's website. Property types covered: All privately rented residential accommodation occupied by a single household or two unrelated sharers, not otherwise subject to mandatory or additional HMO licensing.. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties subject to mandatory HMO licensing properties subject to additional HMO licensing social housing from registered providers properties subject to management orders properties covered by a Temporary Exemption Notice..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covered 12 wards across the borough.
This was the council's first additional licensing scheme (Scheme 1). The concentration of HMOs in areas like Romford Town (27.5% of housing stock) and Brooklands (26.5%) prompted the scheme, driven by 61% of inspected HMOs failing to meet management standards. Exact start and end dates approximate. Property types covered: HMOs in the designated wards requiring additional licensing beyond mandatory HMO requirements..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covered 6 wards in the south and east of the borough (Cranham, Emerson Park, Hacton, Hylands, Saint Andrews, and Upminster).
This was the council's second additional licensing scheme (Scheme 2). The first additional licensing scheme (Scheme 1, from March 2018) covered 12 wards: Brooklands, Elm Park, Gooshays, Harold Wood, Havering Park, Heaton, Mawneys, Pettits, Rainham & Wennington, Romford Town, South Hornchurch, and Squirrels Heath — and expired circa March 2023. Property types covered: HMOs occupied by 3 or more unrelated persons sharing basic amenities. Also included section 257 HMOs..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Covered 2 wards: Brooklands and Romford Town. Estimated to cover approximately 5,000 private rented properties.
As of January 2025, the public register listed 3,206 selective licences, 69 additional licences, and 255 mandatory HMO licences under this and the concurrent additional scheme. There was a gap from 24 January 2026 to 17 March 2026 where no selective or additional licensing was in force. Property types covered: All privately rented properties in the designated wards, not subject to mandatory HMO licensing..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
27 March 2026
Research confidence
High (79/100)
Sources checked
16
Key facts (new scheme dates, wards, fees, consultation results, cabinet approval) are consistent across multiple official and third-party sources. Official Havering news pages, the Citizen Space consultation page, London Property Licensing, Kamma, and Fraser Bond all corroborate core data. Mandatory HMO fee of £1,329 (up to 5 lettings, up to £2,130 for 20+ lettings) is confirmed by London Property Licensing and Kamma. Part A/Part B splits for selective (£570/£380) and additional HMO (£840/£560) confirmed by London Property Licensing and web search results citing the Cabinet report. Some uncertainty exists around exact wards covered by the 2021-2026 additional scheme (6 vs 9 wards across different sources).
Searchable by postcode. Contains licensed properties under the Housing Act 2004, Temporary Exemption Notices served, and Interim/Final Management Orders. Requires JavaScript. Continuously updated. As of January 2025, the register listed 255 mandatory HMO licences, 69 additional licences, and 3,206 selective licences.
Supporting sources
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Havering.
Borough-wide. Applies to properties occupied by 5 or more people not all related, who share amenities and live as their main residence. Covers shared houses, bedsits with shared facilities, and mixed self-contained/non-self-contained converted buildings.
Ongoing national mandatory scheme under Housing Act 2004. Mandatory licensing was extended nationally from 1 October 2018 to include properties with 5+ occupants in any storey configuration (previously required 3+ storeys). Minimum room sizes apply for HMOs: 4.64m² (child under 10), 6.51m² (one person over 10), 10.22m² (two persons over 10). Property types covered: HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households. Includes shared houses, student housing, bedsits with shared facilities, mixed self-contained/non-self-contained conversions. Covers standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test HMOs under section 254 of the Housing Act 2004.. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of 3 or more units are exempt from mandatory HMO licensing..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Havering summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Understand additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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