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Tower Hamlets

HMO licence applications in Tower Hamlets.

Tower Hamlets has one of the busiest rental markets in London, from Whitechapel terraces to Canary Wharf flats, and the council takes licensing enforcement seriously.

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Licensing schemes in Tower Hamlets

Applies everywhere

Mandatory HMO licence

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

Council fee: £977 online (£453.50 + £583.50), £1,147 by post. Fee table also lists £68.50 per habitable room.

Additional

Additional HMO licence

Whole borough, 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2029. 3+ people, 2+ households, including flats in purpose-built blocks.

Council fee: £1,323 online (£618 + £787.50)

Selective: ended

Selective licence

Ran 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2026 in Weavers, Whitechapel, Banglatown & Spitalfields. Closed to new applications; a new scheme is being considered.

Council fee: Closed

Do I need a licence in Tower Hamlets?

Enter the postcode and who lives there. We'll check it against Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets?

LicenceCouncil feeOur fee
Mandatory HMO licence£977 (online rate)£400
Additional HMO licence£1,323 online (£618 + £787.50)£350

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

None listed by the council.

What Tower Hamlets Council asks for

See the council's landlord guidance notes.

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 Tower Hamlets: step by step

  1. Enquiry
    Tell us about the property and who lives there.
  2. Fixed quote
    We confirm which Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets Council asks for.
  5. You sign
    You review the draft and sign the declarations.
  6. Submission & follow-up
    We submit it to Tower Hamlets Council and handle routine questions.

Tower Hamlets licensing questions

Do I need an HMO licence in Tower Hamlets?

If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you need a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Tower Hamlets. Tower Hamlets also licenses smaller HMOs under an additional scheme: whole borough, 1 Apr 2024 to 31 Mar 2029. 3+ people, 2+ households, including flats in purpose-built blocks. Its selective licensing scheme has ended: ran 1 Oct 2021 to 30 Sep 2026 in Weavers, Whitechapel, Banglatown & Spitalfields. Closed to new applications; a new scheme is being considered. Use our free licence checker to see what applies at your address.

How much does an HMO licence cost in Tower Hamlets?

Tower Hamlets Council's fee for a mandatory HMO licence: £977 online (£453.50 + £583.50), £1,147 by post. Fee table also lists £68.50 per habitable room. Additional HMO licence: £1,323 online (£618 + £787.50). Our fee for preparing the application is separate: £400 mandatory, £350 additional, £250 selective.

What documents does Tower Hamlets Council ask for?

See the council's landlord guidance notes. 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 Tower Hamlets?

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 Tower Hamlets Council and deal with routine questions. Get a fixed-price quote to start.

How long does a Tower Hamlets 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: Fees · Selective

Nearby boroughs

HMO licence Hackney · HMO licence Newham · HMO licence City of London · HMO licence Greenwich

Tell us about the property.

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

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