Hillingdon Additional Licensing Scheme starts on 24 August 2026

Monday, August 24th, 2026 - Hillingdon Council

Date: Monday 24 August 2026

About: An additional licensing scheme comes into force in the London Borough of Hillingdon on 24 August 2026 and will continue for five years. 

Additional licensing

Hillingdon Council’s new additional licensing scheme will apply borough wide and extend licensing to most houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) that fall outside the remit of mandatory HMO licensing. This will include shared houses, shared flats and bedsit HMOs occupied by three or four people.

The council have decided to exclude all section 257 HMOs from the additional licensing scheme. These are properties that:

• have been converted into self-contained flats; and
• less than two thirds of the flats are owner occupied; and
• the conversion did not comply with the relevant Building Regulations in force at that time and still does not comply.

Mandatory HMO licensing 

Most Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) occupied by five or more people already require licensing under the mandatory HMO licensing scheme that extends borough wide. This existing scheme operates across England.   

Selective licensing

There is currently no selective licensing scheme in Hillingdon.

How can I apply for a licence?

Hillingdon Council have said they will start to accept additional licence applications on 20 May 2026, with all applications to be submitted by 23 August 2026. You can find out more information on the council’s website.

The direct link to apply for a mandatory HMO or additional licence is here.

To accompany your licence application, the council have told us you must supply the following documents:

• Gas Safety Certificate (if applicable),
• Electrical Installation Condition Report, and
• Floorplan

How much will an additional licence application cost?

The additional licence application fee in Hillingdon is £1,401 per property, payable in two instalments (Part A £934, Part B £467).

There is a 10% discount for accredited landlords and managing agents.

The full schedule of fees can be viewed on the council’s website. 

Looking for more information?

You can contact Hillingdon Council’s Private Sector Housing Team by email privatesectorhousing@hillingdon.gov.uk or by calling 01895 556 483 or 01895 556 484.

Risks of non-compliance

Landlords and letting / managing agents that fail to comply with the new scheme risk prosecution in the Magistrates Court or a civil financial penalty of up to £30,000 per property. Other sanctions include Rent Repayment Orders, inability to issue a section 21 notice and an entry in the Mayor of London’s Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker. You can design out those risks by submitting your licence application before the scheme starts on 24 August 2026. 

London Property Licensing has published a free guide with more information about property licensing and HMO planning rules in Hillingdon, available here.