How to check if your landlord has a licence

Licensing in England is managed by local councils, not a national body. The first step is to identify which council area your property falls in. You can do this using the free postcode checker on this site.

Enter your postcode and the checker will match it to the relevant council, then show whether our data indicates any active licensing schemes in that area.

There are three main types of property licensing in England:

• Mandatory HMO licensing - applies across all of England to houses in multiple occupation with five or more people forming two or more households. Read the HMO licensing guide for more detail.
• Selective licensing - a council-run scheme that applies to standard privately rented properties in designated areas, regardless of whether the property is an HMO. Read the selective licensing guide.
• Additional HMO licensing - extends HMO licensing to smaller shared properties that would not be caught by the mandatory rules. Read the additional licensing guide.

Councils that operate licensing schemes are required to maintain a register of licensed properties. Most councils publish this online. You can usually search by address or postcode to check whether a specific property holds a valid licence.

To find the register for your area, open the council directory and select your council. Where we have a link to the public register, it will be shown on the council page.

If you cannot find a public register online, contact the council's housing or private rented sector team directly and ask whether the property at your address is listed.

If your property is in an area where licensing is required and your landlord does not appear on the register, there are a few options:

• Report it to the council. The council can investigate and take enforcement action, including issuing civil penalties of up to £30,000 per offence.
• Consider a rent repayment order.If your landlord has been operating without a required licence, you may be able to apply to a first-tier tribunal for a rent repayment order covering up to 12 months of rent under current law (the Renters' Rights Act 2025 may extend this to 24 months once commenced).
• Seek advice. If you are unsure about your rights, contact Shelter, Citizens Advice, or a local housing rights service for guidance.

Note that under current law, a landlord operating without a licence also cannot use a Section 21 notice to evict you until the licensing situation is resolved. Note: Section 21 is being abolished under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

Licensing is just one part of what landlords are legally required to do. Even if no licence is needed, your landlord must still comply with requirements around gas safety, electrical safety, EPC ratings, deposit protection, and more. See the landlord compliance checklist for a full overview.