Landlord licence Tower Hamlets: what you need, where, and what it costs
Do you need a landlord licence in Tower Hamlets? Yes if you let an HMO with 3 or more people from 2 or more households. The selective licensing scheme in Weavers, Whitechapel and Spitalfields & Banglatown ended on 30 September 2026, so single-household lets no longer need a licence unless a new scheme is made. This page sets out every scheme Tower Hamlets Council currently runs, the fees as published, and how Tower Hamlets'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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Tower Hamlets landlord licensing at a glance
| Scheme | In force? | Where it applies | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selective licensing | Ended 30 September 2026 | Was: Weavers; Whitechapel; Spitalfields & Banglatown | 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2026 |
| Additional HMO licensing | Yes | Whole borough | 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2029 |
| Mandatory HMO licensing | Yes | All of England | Ongoing |
Sources: Tower Hamlets Council pages listed under Sources, checked 21 October 2026.
How big is the private rented sector in Tower Hamlets?
At the 2021 Census, 46,000 of Tower Hamlets's 120,539 households rented privately. That's 38.2% of households, against 20.3% across England and Wales as a whole. By number of privately renting households, Tower Hamlets ranked 10 of the 331 local authorities in England and Wales; by share it ranked 5. For comparison, 27,883 households (23.1%) owned their home and 43,237 (35.9%) rented socially.
Tower Hamlets has one of the highest shares of privately renting households in England and Wales, at nearly two in five. Its selective scheme ended just weeks before this update, and the council has said it is considering a replacement.
Tower Hamlets selective licensing has ended
The selective licensing scheme covering Weavers, Whitechapel and Spitalfields & Banglatown ran from 1 October 2021 to 30 September 2026. With no new designation in force, single-household lets in those wards no longer need a selective licence. If you held one, keep your paperwork: the council may consult on a new scheme.
Tower Hamlets additional HMO licensing
Additional HMO licensing covers the whole borough from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2029, for HMOs with 3 or more people from 2 or more households.
Applying online in Tower Hamlets saves money
Tower Hamlets charges £1,323 for an additional HMO licence applied for online and £1,550.50 by post, a difference of £227.50 per licence. If you run more than one HMO, remember GOV.UK's rule that each HMO needs its own licence, so the online saving multiplies. The council's selective licensing page now describes the Weavers, Whitechapel and Spitalfields & Banglatown scheme as ended on 30 September 2026. Licence conditions can be appealed to the First-tier Tribunal if you think they're unreasonable, according to GOV.UK. Given how high the private rented share is in Tower Hamlets, watch the council's pages for any replacement selective scheme, which would need public consultation first.
Tower Hamlets landlord licence fees
As published on the council's fees page: an additional HMO licence is £1,323 online, and £1,550.50 by post.
Do I need a landlord licence in Tower Hamlets? 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 Tower Hamlets, you need an additional HMO licence.
- Tower Hamlets' selective scheme ended on 30 September 2026, so single-household lets don't need a licence today.
- 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 Tower Hamlets HMO goes unlicensed
The selective scheme has ended, but the boroughwide additional scheme hasn't: every HMO with 3 or more people from 2 or more households still needs a licence until March 2029. GOV.UK says renting out an unlicensed HMO can mean an unlimited fine. Former selective licence holders in Weavers or Whitechapel with shared houses should double-check which scheme they now fall under.
Licence conditions in Tower Hamlets
Additional HMO licences here can't run past 31 March 2029, and GOV.UK caps any licence at 5 years. Standard HMO conditions from GOV.UK include sending an updated gas safety certificate to the council each year, keeping smoke alarms working and producing electrical safety certificates on request.
Keeping Tower Hamlets licence paperwork in order with Gaffy
Whether your Tower Hamlets lets are licensed or not, the certificate deadlines stay. Gaffy keeps each property's gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC with expiry dates flagged, and tenants report repairs through a browser link with photos, giving you a dated record. It costs £12 a month for up to 5 properties, plus £4 a month for each extra property, with the first month free, and we'll set your properties up for you. We don't apply for licences.
FAQ
Does Tower Hamlets still have selective licensing?
No. It ended on 30 September 2026. The council is considering a replacement.
How much is an HMO licence in Tower Hamlets?
£1,323 online or £1,550.50 by post for an additional HMO licence, as published by the council.
When does Tower Hamlets' additional licensing end?
31 March 2029.
Do I need to do anything if my selective licence lapsed with the scheme?
Not for licensing, but keep your certificates up to date; every national landlord duty still applies.
How many people rent privately in Tower Hamlets?
At the 2021 Census, 46,000 households in Tower Hamlets rented privately, 38.2% of all households (ONS, Census 2021 table TS054).
Is this legal advice?
No. It's general information drawn from Tower Hamlets Council's published pages, checked 21 October 2026. Schemes and fees in Tower Hamlets 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
- Tower Hamlets Council, licence fees and charges
- Tower Hamlets Council, selective licensing
- Tower Hamlets Council, additional licensing
- 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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