Hackney Council to consult on proposed new landlord licensing schemes

Wednesday, June 4th, 2025 - London Property Licensing

Hackney councillors have decided to consult on proposed new additional and selective landlord licensing schemes. The decision was made at a Cabinet meeting on 28 April 2025, although the decision has received little publicity. 

Hackney’s previous licensing schemes ended September 2023

Hackney Council’s previous additional and selective licensing schemes introduced in 2018 were beset with problems. A cyber attack in 2020 crashed the council’s IT system which disrupted the processing of licence applications and it took several years to recover.

When Hackney Council’s additional and selective licensing schemes ended on 30 September 2023, London Property Licensing discovered there were 1,700 additional licence applications and 652 selective licence applications that had been received but not yet processed by the time the scheme ended (read here).

This information only emerged after London Property Licensing submitted a Freedom of Information request in April 2024. In the absence of any response from the council, the case was escalated to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). After the council still failed to engage, the ICO issued a decision notice in July 2024 stating Hackney Council had breached section 10 of the Freedom of Information Act. The information was finally disclosed in September 2024.

These investigations revealed Hackney Council had granted 1,697 additional licences, granted 649 selective licences and refused 6 licence applications after both licensing schemes ended.

The new licensing proposals

The new proposals include a borough wide additional licensing scheme and a much larger selective licensing scheme covering seventeen council wards. The only council wards not covered by selective licensing would be Haggerston, Hoxton East and Shoreditch, Hoxton West and Woodberry Down.

If the current plans are implemented, over 5,000 HMOs may need licensing under the additional licensing scheme and over 26,000 properties under the selective licensing scheme.

Whereas the cost of additional and selective licence applications was £950 and £500 respectively under the previous schemes, the new proposed fees are £1,400 and £925. This represents a 47% increase in additional licensing fees and a 85% increase in selective licensing fees (fees corrected 5 June 2025).   

Exactly when the licensing consultation will start is unclear. Hackney Council have indicated it will start in Summer 2025, with the intention to introduce both licensing schemes in early 2026.

Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in Hackney is available here.

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