Get a quote
Hackney

HMO licence applications in Hackney.

Hackney has a large private rented sector, with many converted houses and flats shared by young professionals. That makes licensing a live issue for a lot of local landlords.

Get a Hackney quote Do I need a licence?

Licensing schemes in Hackney

Applies everywhere

Mandatory HMO licence

5 or more people from 2 or more households sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Council fee: £1,400 (£840 + £560).

Additional

Additional HMO licence

3+ people, 2+ households. Applications from 1 May 2026. Covers parts of the borough. We confirm whether your address is included before quoting.

Council fee: £1,400 (£840 + £560)

Selective

Selective licence

17 of Hackney's 21 wards (about 76% of private rented homes) from 1 May 2026.

Council fee: £925 (£555 + £370)

Do I need a licence in Hackney?

Enter the postcode and who lives there. We'll check it against Hackney Council's current schemes. Free and instant.

Do I need a licence?
What counts as one household?

One household is a person living alone, or a couple (married, civil partners or living together as a couple), together with any relatives living with them: parents, grandparents, children and step-children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, and cousins. Foster children and live-in carers or au pairs count as part of the household too.

Examples: a mum, dad, two children and a grandparent are 1 household. Two brothers sharing with a friend are 2 households. Four unrelated sharers are 4 households.

Not sure? Count the bedrooms let to different people or families. In a shared house each separately let bedroom is usually its own household, and a couple sharing a room is one household. If you leave households blank, we'll estimate one household per bedroom.

Free and instant. Covers all 33 London boroughs.

How much is an HMO licence in Hackney?

LicenceCouncil feeOur fee
Mandatory HMO licence£1,400 (£840 + £560)£400
Additional HMO licence£1,400 (£840 + £560)£350
Selective licence£925 (£555 + £370)£250

The council's fee for a typical 5-room HMO, as a guide. You pay council fees directly to the council; our fee is separate. Renewals and variations: £150.

Discounts

Off Part B: EPC B+ £100, EPC C £50, accredited £100. £100 off Part A for multiple dwellings.

What Hackney Council asks for

Licence holder name and date of birth, interested parties, layout and fire safety details, gas safety, floor plans, EICR, tenancy agreements. Mandatory HMOs also need an emergency lighting certificate. Non-UK landlords need a UK managing agent.

Our prices

Mandatory HMO licence application: £400

Additional HMO licence application: £350

Selective licence application: £250

Licence renewal or variation: £150

Council fees are separate and paid directly to the council.

Applying in Hackney: step by step

  1. Enquiry
    Tell us about the property and who lives there.
  2. Fixed quote
    We confirm which Hackney licence you need and send a price.
  3. Upload documents
    Your private portal shows exactly what we need.
  4. We prepare the pack
    Forms, plans and supporting papers, checked against what Hackney Council asks for.
  5. You sign
    You review the draft and sign the declarations.
  6. Submission & follow-up
    We submit it to Hackney Council and handle routine questions.

Hackney licensing questions

Do I need an HMO licence in Hackney?

If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you need a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Hackney. Hackney also licenses smaller HMOs under an additional scheme: 3+ people, 2+ households. Applications from 1 May 2026. Covers parts of the borough. We confirm whether your address is included before quoting. Selective licensing also applies to single-household lets: 17 of Hackney's 21 wards (about 76% of private rented homes) from 1 May 2026. Use our free licence checker to see what applies at your address.

How much does an HMO licence cost in Hackney?

Hackney Council's fee for a mandatory HMO licence: £1,400 (£840 + £560). Additional HMO licence: £1,400 (£840 + £560). Selective licence: £925 (£555 + £370). Our fee for preparing the application is separate: £400 mandatory, £350 additional, £250 selective.

Are there discounts on Hackney licence fees?

Off Part B: EPC B+ £100, EPC C £50, accredited £100. £100 off Part A for multiple dwellings. Discounts usually have to be claimed when you apply, so we include the evidence in your pack.

What documents does Hackney Council ask for?

Licence holder name and date of birth, interested parties, layout and fire safety details, gas safety, floor plans, EICR, tenancy agreements. Mandatory HMOs also need an emergency lighting certificate. Non-UK landlords need a UK managing agent. We check everything before it goes in, and your private portal shows exactly what's still needed.

How do I apply for a licence in Hackney?

We handle it for you. We confirm which licence you need, prepare the forms, plans and supporting documents, and you review the pack and sign the declarations. Then we submit it to Hackney Council and deal with routine questions. Get a fixed-price quote to start.

How long does a Hackney licence last?

Usually up to 5 years. Councils can give a shorter licence, often 1 year, where they have concerns or the property doesn't have planning consent for HMO use.

Information checked on 7 November 2026. Councils change fees every April and review their schemes, so we confirm the current position for your address before quoting.

Sources: Scheme approval news

Nearby boroughs

HMO licence Islington · HMO licence Haringey · HMO licence Waltham Forest · HMO licence Tower Hamlets

Tell us about the property.

Get a fixed-price quote. No obligation, and we confirm which licence you need before you pay.

Get a quote Do I need a licence?