News

Additional HMO licensing consultation underway in Ealing

Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 - Ealing Council

Ealing Council is asking for opinions on plans to renew their additional house in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing scheme. They want to hear from local residents, tenants, landlords, businesses, community groups and anyone else with an interest in the borough.

The current additional licensing scheme ends in April 2027 and the council is proposing to extend it for another five years.

The additional licensing scheme extends licensing to most HMOs borough wide, including shared houses and flats and bedsit HMOs occupied by three or four people.

Ealing Council say the licensing scheme helps to make sure rented homes are safe, well managed, and meet legal standards. It is also used to deal with problems such as overcrowding, poor housing conditions, fly-tipping, noise complaints, and antisocial behaviour.

Licensing inspections can uncover problems that might otherwise go unnoticed. In 2023, inspectors visited a shared flat in Ealing after a licence application was made. They found a bed hidden behind curtains in a shared kitchen and living area. The arrangement created a fire risk and gave the tenant no privacy. The council ordered the landlord to remove the sleeping area. Without the licensing scheme, the unsafe setup may never have been uncovered.

Councillor Louise Brett, Ealing Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes, said:

“We know that many people rely on shared housing as an affordable place to live. But some rented HMOs fall below the standards people should expect.

“Our inspections continue to find serious hazards, unsafe conditions, and poor management in too many shared homes. This consultation is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in private renting to help shape how we keep improving standards across the borough in the years ahead.

“Your feedback will help shape how the council approaches HMO licensing in the future and how we continue to make renting safer across our 7 towns.”

Council inspectors identified 4,890 housing hazards during inspections of more than 900 HMOs over the past 2 years. Around 2 in 3 inspected properties had hazards that needed attention. The council also recorded 3,649 antisocial behaviour incidents linked to known HMO properties between April 2021 and April 2026.

The proposed scheme would continue to cover smaller HMOs housing 3 or 4 people from more than 1 household. It would also help the council inspect properties, support responsible landlords, and take action against those who do not meet the required standards.

Property licensing forms part of a wider programme of work to raise standards in privately rented homes across the borough. The council carries out inspections, investigates unlicensed properties, takes enforcement action against landlords who break the rules, supports tenants facing illegal eviction or harassment, and works with responsible landlords to help them meet legal requirements. It also works closely with partners, including the police and London Fire Brigade, to deal with housing issues and antisocial behaviour.

Since April 2025, the council has issued 28 civil financial penalties for unlicensed HMOs and helped bring 56 unlicensed properties into the licensing system. It has also created a specialist team to deal with antisocial behaviour linked to licensed properties.

Ealing Council’s consultation on plans to renew the application licensing scheme is open until 24 September 2026, with full details published on the council’s website.

Our free guide containing information about property licensing and HMO planning rules in Ealing is available here.