Landlord licence Hounslow: HMO licensing explained

Landlord licence Hounslow at a glance

Sources: Hounslow Council pages listed under Sources, checked 21 October 2026.

How big is the private rented sector in Hounslow?

Hounslow had 31,788 privately renting households at the 2021 Census, out of 102,961 in total: 30.9% of all households, against 20.3% for England and Wales. That puts Hounslow 35th of 331 local authorities by number of private renting households and 23rd by share. Owner-occupiers made up 45.7% (47,044 households) and social renters 21.0% (21,618).

Is there selective licensing in Hounslow?

No. Hounslow's licensing covers HMOs only. Lets to a single household, or to 2 sharers, don't need a property licence.

Hounslow additional HMO licensing 2025 to 2030

Hounslow's designation document applies the scheme to the whole borough. It came into force on 11 December 2025 and runs to 10 December 2030, following a renewal consultation. It covers qualifying HMOs occupied by 3 or more people in 2 or more households that aren't caught by mandatory licensing, plus specified converted-building HMOs (section 257) under common ownership or control. If you held a licence under the previous scheme, check its expiry date and renew in time.

Mandatory HMO licensing in Hounslow

HMOs with 5 or more people from 2 or more households who share facilities need a mandatory licence. Since 1 October 2018 this has applied regardless of the number of storeys. A property can only hold one licence, so a mandatory HMO doesn't also need an additional licence.

Hounslow landlord licence fees

Hounslow's fees page lists a base fee of £1,608 per property (£1,509 for eligible accredited landlords or managing agents), plus £25 per household. When the scheme was announced, it was reported at £1,550 plus £25 per household, with a £95 accreditation discount. The council's website was unavailable for maintenance when we tried to re-check it on 21 October 2026, so confirm the current figure on Hounslow's fees and refunds page before you pay.

Councils usually split a licence fee into two parts: one paid when you apply, covering processing, and one paid before the licence is granted, covering running and enforcing the scheme. Where the council publishes the split, we show it above. Fees are reviewed regularly, so treat these as correct on the date we checked and confirm on the council's fee page before you pay.

Do I need a landlord licence in Hounslow? A quick check

1. Count the people and households living in the property.
2. If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share facilities, you need a mandatory HMO licence.
3. If 3 or 4 people from 2 or more households share, you need an additional HMO licence anywhere in Hounslow.
4. If it's a converted block under common ownership that doesn't meet building regulations, check whether it's a licensable section 257 HMO.
5. If it's a single-household let, no property licence is needed.

People also ask about landlord licensing in Hounslow

Do I need a landlord licence in Hounslow? Only for an HMO with 3 or more people from 2 or more households. Hounslow has no selective licensing.

When does Hounslow additional licensing end? 10 December 2030.

How much is a Hounslow HMO licence? The council's fees page lists £1,608 base (£1,509 accredited) plus £25 per household. Confirm before paying, as we couldn't re-check it on 21 October 2026.

What every Hounslow landlord must do, licence or not

Whatever the licensing position for your street, the core safety and paperwork duties for Hounslow landlords are the same as anywhere in England:

• gas safety: a Gas Safe check every 12 months, with the record given to tenants;
• electrical safety: an EICR at least every 5 years, with a copy to tenants;
• energy: an EPC of at least band E, unless the property is exempt;
• deposits: protected in an approved scheme within 30 days, with the prescribed information served;
• alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey with living accommodation, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (except gas cookers);
• Right to Rent: checks on all adult occupiers before the tenancy starts.

These are also the documents a council is most likely to ask for when it processes an application or carries out a compliance visit.

What happens if you let without the right licence in Hounslow?

If a property needs a licence and doesn't have one, the landlord commits an offence. The council can prosecute (with an unlimited fine on conviction) or issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000, the limit that has applied since 1 May 2026, and tenants can claim back up to 24 months' rent through a rent repayment order. Westminster, Brighton & Hove and Islington are among the councils that publish these limits. Applying promptly matters: the offence is avoided once a valid application has been made.

Keeping to your licence conditions

Councils grant most licences for up to 5 years and attach conditions, such as providing a gas safety certificate each year on request, maintaining smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, producing electrical safety reports, and handling repairs promptly. Inspectors check these against your records.

Gaffy keeps those records in order. Upload each certificate once, tag its expiry date, and Gaffy tells you what's expired or coming up, property by property. Tenants send repair requests with photos through a simple link, with no app to install, so you build a dated history of what was reported and when it was fixed. Pricing is £12 a month for up to 5 properties, then £4 a month per extra property, and your first month is free. We don't submit licence applications on your behalf.