London
We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
No local scheme shown
Shown as active
Shown as active
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 London Borough of Hounslow, 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 London Borough of Hounslow.
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 London Borough of Hounslow 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 scheme covering all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) occupied by three or more people forming two or more households who share facilities, and Section 257 HMOs (buildings converted into self-contained flats where the conversion did not comply with Building Regulations and the building and all dwellings are under the same or effectively the same ownership or control). Purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of three or more self-contained units are excluded.
Designated on 11 September 2025 following a Cabinet decision on 2 September 2025. Consultation ran from 12 March to 21 May 2025 and produced an evenly split result: 47.9% of respondents supported renewal, 47.9% opposed, 4.2% unsure. Despite the tied outcome, Cabinet voted to renew the scheme. This is the second consecutive five-year additional licensing designation in Hounslow; the previous scheme ran from 1 August 2020 to 31 July 2025. There was a gap period from 1 August 2025 to 10 December 2025 (approximately 4.5 months) during which no additional licensing scheme was in force. Applications for the new scheme were encouraged to be submitted before 11 December 2025. During the first four years of the previous additional scheme (2020–2024), 40% of all HMO licence applications received were for discretionary (additional) licences. As at April 2025, approximately 1,236 properties were listed on the public register. Property types covered: All HMOs as defined by section 254 of the Housing Act 2004 occupied by three or more persons in two or more households sharing facilities (kitchen, bathroom, or toilet), including small HMOs with 3–4 occupants not captured by mandatory licensing. Also includes Section 257 HMOs: buildings converted into self-contained flats where the conversion did not comply with Building Regulations, and the building and all dwellings are under unified or effectively the same ownership or control. Purpose-built flat blocks of three or more self-contained units are excluded.. Exemptions or exclusions: Multi-occupied purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks comprising three or more self-contained flats are excluded. Properties meeting mandatory HMO licensing thresholds (5+ occupants) require mandatory licensing instead. Standard national exemptions under the Housing Act 2004 apply..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
National mandatory scheme applying borough-wide to all HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities, including shared houses, bedsits with shared facilities, and properties converted into a mixture of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation. Applies under the standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test of section 254 Housing Act 2004.
National mandatory scheme under the Housing Act 2004, extended from 1 October 2018 to cover all HMOs with 5+ occupants regardless of number of storeys (previously only 3+ storey properties). Not a local designation; no end date. The council estimates approximately 500–700 properties in Hounslow require mandatory licensing. Applications are submitted via the council's online form at eforms.hounslow.gov.uk/ufs/ufsmain?formid=A208_HOUSING_MULTIPLE_OCCUPANCY. Property types covered: Any house or flat occupied by five or more people who are not all related and live in the property as their main home, and share a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet. Includes: shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals; properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities; properties converted into a mixture of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation. Purpose-built self-contained flat blocks of three or more units are exempt from mandatory licensing.. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flat blocks comprising three or more units are exempt. Standard national mandatory HMO exemptions under the Housing Act 2004 apply..
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 scheme covering most HMOs occupied by three or more people who are not all related and sharing facilities, including Section 257 HMOs where all flats are privately rented under unified ownership or control. Excluded multi-occupied purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of three or more units.
The scheme was introduced following a second consultation (October–December 2019) after a proposed scheme was withdrawn in September 2019 following the threat of legal challenge. Cabinet approved the scheme on 17 March 2020. A second round of consultation was needed after the first round produced majority opposition. The scheme came into force on 1 August 2020 and expired on 31 July 2025. It was succeeded by the 2025–2030 scheme after a gap period. Property types covered: Smaller S254 HMOs occupied by three or four persons, plus S257 HMOs (converted flat blocks under unified private rented ownership or control). Excluded purpose-built blocks of 3+ self-contained flats.. Exemptions or exclusions: Multi-occupied purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of 3+ self-contained flats excluded. Standard national exemptions apply..
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 (81/100)
Sources checked
16
The current additional licensing scheme dates, fees (£1,550 base + £25 per household), discount (£95), and borough-wide coverage are consistently confirmed across multiple official Hounslow Council pages, the democratic services portal, London Property Licensing, and Kamma. The confirmation that no selective licensing scheme exists is confirmed by both London Property Licensing and Kamma. The public register is confirmed via the open data portal (data.hounslow.gov.uk), last updated March 2026. The gap period between the two additional licensing schemes (1 August–10 December 2025) is confirmed by multiple sources. The previous scheme dates (1 August 2020–31 July 2025) are confirmed. The mandatory HMO fee being the same structure as additional (£1,550 + £25/household) is confirmed by the fees page.
As at April 2025, the register listed approximately 1,236 licensed properties. The register was reportedly removed from the main council website circa October 2025; the open data portal dataset remains actively maintained (last updated March 2026). The council can also be contacted directly at housing.enforcement@hounslow.gov.uk for register queries. Historical archived registers are also available at data.gov.uk/dataset/dfdbf09c-e53b-424f-b504-6d3b420c7e6d/register-of-licensed-hmos1.
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 London Borough of Hounslow.
National mandatory scheme applying borough-wide to all HMOs occupied by five or more people from two or more households sharing facilities, including shared houses, bedsits with shared facilities, and properties converted into a mixture of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation. Applies under the standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test of section 254 Housing Act 2004.
National mandatory scheme under the Housing Act 2004, extended from 1 October 2018 to cover all HMOs with 5+ occupants regardless of number of storeys (previously only 3+ storey properties). Not a local designation; no end date. The council estimates approximately 500–700 properties in Hounslow require mandatory licensing. Applications are submitted via the council's online form at eforms.hounslow.gov.uk/ufs/ufsmain?formid=A208_HOUSING_MULTIPLE_OCCUPANCY. Property types covered: Any house or flat occupied by five or more people who are not all related and live in the property as their main home, and share a kitchen, bathroom, or toilet. Includes: shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals; properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities; properties converted into a mixture of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation. Purpose-built self-contained flat blocks of three or more units are exempt from mandatory licensing.. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flat blocks comprising three or more units are exempt. Standard national mandatory HMO exemptions under the Housing Act 2004 apply..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the London Borough of Hounslow 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 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.
We only load optional Google Analytics and Google AdSense cookies if you accept them. They help us measure usage and fund the service. Privacy policy