Prerequisites
- ✓Property is in your control (signed lease or completed purchase)
- ✓5+ unrelated occupants intended (mandatory threshold) or borough has additional licensing scheme
- ✓Borough identified — application is borough-by-borough, not city-wide
TL;DR
Identify the borough and licensing scheme; prepare evidence (gas safety, EICR, fire risk assessment, floor plans); submit via the borough portal with the fee (£500–£1,100); respond to inspector queries within 14 days; expect 8–24 weeks to grant. Operate compliantly during processing — backdating fines exceed the licence cost.
Step-by-step
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1. Confirm the borough's licensing scheme
Each London borough operates mandatory licensing for 5+ occupant HMOs, plus often additional or selective licensing for smaller properties. Check the borough's Licensing & Permits section. Newham, Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets have city-wide additional schemes covering most rented stock.
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2. Gather mandatory evidence pack
Annual gas safety certificate, valid 5-year EICR, current fire risk assessment, floor plans showing room sizes + amenities, EPC, public liability insurance certificate (£2M+), DBS check for managers in some boroughs.
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3. Verify minimum amenity standards
1 bathroom per 4 occupants, 1 kitchen / cooking facility per 5, minimum room sizes (6.51 m² single occupancy, 10.22 m² for 2 sharing). London-specific: many boroughs apply tighter amenity ratios than the national HHSRS minimums.
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4. Apply via the borough portal
Almost all London boroughs use a digital application. Fee £500–£1,100 paid on submission. Application is rejected (with refund minus admin) if amenity standards or evidence pack incomplete. Submit incomplete and you waste 6–8 weeks.
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5. Schedule and attend the inspection
An EHO inspector visits typically 4–10 weeks after application. Be present; bring spare copies of the evidence pack; walk the property with the inspector. Note any verbal recommendations — they translate to formal conditions.
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6. Address conditions and receive the licence
Inspector typically issues a licence with conditions (specific fire-safety upgrades, room-size adjustments, manager compliance). Address within the timeframe given (usually 28 days). Licence is granted on full compliance and runs 5 years.
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7. Display the licence and meet ongoing obligations
Display the licence number in the property; renew every 5 years; report changes (new manager, structural changes); annual compliance review with the borough.
Common issues + fixes
×Application returned for incomplete evidence pack
→Most common issue. Use the borough's checklist literally. Don't substitute an old EICR for a current fire risk assessment — they're different documents.
×Inspector requires fire-suppression upgrade post-inspection
→Budget £8k–£25k contingency on capex for sprinkler / fire-door / alarm upgrades. Pre-inspection survey by a fire safety consultant catches most of these before the EHO visit.
×Article 4 direction blocks the conversion regardless of HMO licence
→HMO licence and planning permission are separate. Article 4 boroughs need both. Check before LOI; this is the #1 cause of late deal collapse.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an HMO licence take in London?
8–24 weeks from submission to grant. Faster in lower-volume boroughs (Bromley, Sutton); slower in high-density boroughs (Hackney, Camden).
Can I operate without an HMO licence while applying?
Technically the property can be operated for the application period if you have submitted, but the borough can issue a Rent Repayment Order covering up to 12 months of rent if the application fails or is delayed. Don't push it — operate compliantly with submitted application.
What does an HMO licence cost?
£500–£1,100 application fee depending on borough. Renewals every 5 years similar cost. Add £200–£500/year if using a licensing agent for multi-property operations.
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