Plans approved for new additional landlord licensing scheme in Enfield

Monday, April 21st, 2025 - Enfield Council

Enfield Council approved plans for a new five year additional landlord licensing scheme at a Cabinet meeting on 12 March 2025.

Enfield’s current additional licensing scheme started on September 2020 and is set to expire on 31 August 2025. Since the additional licensing scheme started in 2020, over 1,200 HMO licence applications have been received and over 1,100 additional licences granted.

The council say they inspect every HMO before issuing a licence. Inspections revealed that 70% of properties needed some work doing to meet relevant safety and housing standards, including fire and electrical safety, damp, and overcrowding.

To date, the council has served over 350 legal notices and taken action against 13 landlords for licensing and housing regulation offences. They’ve also imposed civil financial penalties for poor property condition and management.

Enfield Council consulted on plans for a replacement licensing scheme from 15 July to 7 October 2024 (read here).

The new additional licensing scheme will start on 1 September 2025, ensuing continuous coverage for another five years. The new scheme will apply borough wide and include most Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), including shared houses and flats occupied by three or four people. 

The council say the aim of this scheme is to improve the quality and management of shared housing in Enfield and ensure that private renters have safe and well-run homes. It will help the council to crackdown on bad landlords and address issues like antisocial behaviour and overcrowding.

The additional licensing scheme will sit alongside the existing mandatory HMO licensing system which applies to most HMOs occupied by five or more people. In parts of the borough, properties rented by a single family or two unrelated sharers also need licensing under the council’s selective licensing scheme. 

Cllr Susan Erbil, Enfield’s Cabinet Member for Licensing, Planning, and Regulatory Services, said:

“Everyone deserves a safe and decent home. Renewing the HMO Licensing Scheme is a key step in continuing to improve housing standards in Enfield.

“Licensing makes sure landlords are responsible for their properties, and that tenants have secure, well-managed homes. This scheme will help us keep up the progress we’ve made in the past five years, protecting tenants and the wider community.”

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

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