Landlord licence Barnet: what you need, where, and what it costs
Do you need a landlord licence in Barnet? Yes if you let an HMO with 3 or more people from 2 or more households anywhere in Barnet. There is no selective licensing in force yet, although the council has consulted on a scheme for 10 wards. This page sets out every scheme Barnet Council currently runs, the fees as published, and how Barnet's rented housing compares with the rest of England and Wales, using Census 2021 figures. We last re-checked the council's pages on 21 October 2026.
Published · Updated
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Barnet landlord licensing at a glance
| Scheme | In force? | Where it applies | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional HMO licensing | Yes | Whole borough, HMOs with 3+ people in 2+ households, plus some s257 converted blocks | 27 October 2022 to 26 October 2027 |
| Selective licensing | Not in force; consultation on 10 wards closed 15 September 2026 | Proposed: Burnt Oak, Childs Hill, Colindale North, Colindale South, Cricklewood, Finchley Church End, Friern Barnet, Golders Green, Hendon, West Hendon | No start date set |
| Mandatory HMO licensing | Yes | All of England | Ongoing |
Sources: Barnet Council pages listed under Sources, checked 21 October 2026.
How big is the private rented sector in Barnet?
At the 2021 Census, 48,705 of Barnet's 148,917 households rented privately. That's 32.7% of households, against 20.3% across England and Wales as a whole. By number of privately renting households, Barnet ranked 8 of the 331 local authorities in England and Wales; by share it ranked 13. For comparison, 78,407 households (52.7%) owned their home and 20,034 (13.5%) rented socially.
Barnet has the second-largest number of privately renting households of any London borough, and nearly a third of its households rent privately. Its additional HMO scheme is boroughwide, and the selective proposal would bring single-household lets in 10 wards into licensing for the first time if it goes ahead.
Barnet additional HMO licensing
Barnet's additional licensing designation covers the whole borough from 27 October 2022 until 26 October 2027. It applies to HMOs occupied by 3 or more people forming 2 or more households that aren't covered by mandatory licensing, and to certain section 257 HMOs: converted blocks of self-contained flats that don't meet the 1991 Building Regulations, where the building has 3 or more storeys and 3 or more flats, all privately rented and under the same ownership or control.
Barnet selective licensing proposal
The NRLA reports that Barnet consulted on a selective licensing scheme for 10 wards: Burnt Oak, Childs Hill, Colindale North, Colindale South, Cricklewood, Finchley Church End, Friern Barnet, Golders Green, Hendon and West Hendon, with a proposed fee of £910 or £928 subject to inflation and discounts for accredited landlords. The consultation closed on 15 September 2026. Until the council makes and publishes a designation, no selective licence is required in Barnet. The council's business case is published in its committee papers.
Barnet landlord licence fees
Fees from 1 January 2026, the same for mandatory and additional HMO licences: a new five-year licence for up to 5 units is £1,872 (£1,061 with the application plus £811 after the initial inspection). A one-year licence is £1,224. A five-year renewal is £1,677 and a one-year renewal is £1,028. Each unit over 5 costs £37. Accredited landlords and charities get 10% off the first payment, and a fast-track service costs £200.
Do I need a landlord licence in Barnet? A quick check
- Count the people and households living in the property. A household is a single person, or members of the same family living together, including couples.
- If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you need a mandatory HMO licence wherever you are in England.
- If 3 or more people from 2 or more households share facilities anywhere in Barnet, you need an additional HMO licence.
- Barnet has no selective licensing in force, so single-household lets don't need a licence today. Watch for a decision on the 10-ward proposal.
- If none of these apply, you don't need a property licence, but every other landlord duty (gas safety, electrical safety, EPC, deposit protection, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms) still does.
If a Barnet HMO isn't licensed
Barnet's additional scheme covers HMOs from three people upward across all of its wards, from Edgware to East Finchley. GOV.UK says renting out an unlicensed HMO can mean an unlimited fine, and tenants may be able to recover rent through a rent repayment order. If the 10-ward selective proposal is adopted, single-household lets there would come into scope too, so keep an eye on the council's decision.
Conditions on a Barnet HMO licence
Barnet offers both five-year and one-year licences, and GOV.UK caps every licence at 5 years. Note that the boroughwide designation ends on 26 October 2027. GOV.UK's standard HMO conditions include an updated gas safety certificate sent to the council each year, working smoke alarms and electrical safety certificates on request; Barnet can add more.
Keeping Barnet licence paperwork in order with Gaffy
Barnet HMO landlords need certificates ready for every renewal and inspection. Gaffy stores each property's gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC with expiry dates and flags anything due soon, while tenants report repairs by phone link with photos. Gaffy prices by property, not by room, at £12 a month for up to 5 properties, plus £4 a month for each extra property, with the first month free. We'll set your properties up if you'd like. We don't apply for licences.
FAQ
Does Barnet have selective licensing?
Not yet. The council consulted on a 10-ward scheme, closing 15 September 2026, but no scheme is in force.
How much is an HMO licence in Barnet?
£1,872 for a new five-year licence for up to 5 units, plus £37 per extra unit, with 10% off the first payment for accredited landlords and charities.
When does Barnet's additional licensing end?
26 October 2027.
Which Barnet wards could get selective licensing?
Burnt Oak, Childs Hill, Colindale North, Colindale South, Cricklewood, Finchley Church End, Friern Barnet, Golders Green, Hendon and West Hendon, under the consulted proposal.
How many people rent privately in Barnet?
At the 2021 Census, 48,705 households in Barnet rented privately, 32.7% of all households (ONS, Census 2021 table TS054).
Is this legal advice?
No. It's general information drawn from Barnet Council's published pages, checked 21 October 2026. Schemes and fees in Barnet can change, so confirm with the council before you let or apply.
Nearby councils
Other landlord rules
- Gas Safety Certificate for Landlords: Rules, Cost and Renewal
- EICR for Landlords: When You Need One, How Often and What C1, C2, C3 and FI Mean
- Landlord Compliance Checklist UK 2026 (Free Printable PDF)
- EPC Rules for Landlords in England and Wales: Minimum Rating, Expiry and Penalties
- Deposit Protection for Landlords: The 30-Day Rule and Prescribed Information
- Pricing
- Gas safety certificate expiry calculator
Sources
- Barnet Council, selective licensing business case (committee papers)
- NRLA, licensing update August 2026 (Barnet consultation)
- Licence Checker England, Barnet (fee schedule from 1 January 2026, transcribed from council fees page)
- ONS, Census 2021, TS054 Tenure, via Nomis
- GOV.UK, House in multiple occupation licence
- GOV.UK, Selective licensing in the private rented sector: a guide for local authorities
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