Havering HMO licence costs £1,010 for 5+ bedroom properties. Fines up to £30,000 for unlicensed HMOs. Apply before renting to 5 or more tenants.
Havering Council requires a mandatory HMO licence for any property rented to 5 or more people forming 2 or more separate households, sharing facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. This single threshold — 5 occupants — is the trigger every landlord in the borough must understand before marketing a room.
What Triggers the HMO Licensing Requirement in Havering?
The mandatory licensing regime applies to any property in Havering with at least 5 occupants across 2 or more households sharing amenities. This statutory definition has applied nationally since October 2018, when the government extended mandatory licensing to remove the previous 3-storey condition. If your property houses 5 or more tenants — whether it is a converted terrace in Romford or a semi-detached house in Hornchurch — you are legally required to hold a valid licence before those tenants move in. Properties with fewer than 5 occupants may still require an additional or selective licence if Havering introduces a wider scheme, so it is worth checking the council's current scheme register annually. Any change in occupancy that pushes a property to 5 or more residents triggers the licensing requirement immediately, not at the next tenancy renewal.
What Does an HMO Licence Cost in Havering?
The mandatory HMO licence fee in Havering is £1,010 for a standard 5-year licence. This is a non-refundable fee payable to the London Borough of Havering. The fee covers the application assessment, the fit and proper person check, and the physical inspection of the property. Licences run for a maximum of 5 years, though the council retains the power to issue a shorter licence — sometimes as brief as 12 months — where there are concerns about management standards or property condition. There is no automatic discount for accredited landlords under the current mandatory scheme, though membership of a recognised landlord accreditation body such as the National Residential Landlords Association may be viewed favourably during the fit and proper person assessment. Budgeting £1,010 every 5 years as a fixed compliance cost is the minimum a Havering HMO landlord should plan for.
How Do You Apply for an HMO Licence in Havering?
Applications are submitted through the London Borough of Havering's online licensing portal. The process involves completing a detailed application form covering the property layout, number of letting rooms, shared facilities, fire safety measures, and management arrangements. You must declare all persons involved in managing the property, including any managing agents. Processing times vary but landlords should expect a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks from submission to decision, particularly if an inspection is required. Submitting at least 12 weeks before a new tenancy begins is strongly advisable. Once received, the council will issue a licence with conditions attached — typically covering minimum room sizes, fire detection standards, and waste management. The minimum bedroom size for a single adult in a licensed HMO is 6.51 square metres, a figure set in the 2018 regulations and enforced by all London boroughs including Havering.
What Documents Do You Need to Apply?
Your application must be accompanied by a gas safety certificate dated within the last 12 months, an electrical installation condition report (EICR) dated within the last 5 years, an energy performance certificate (EPC), portable appliance testing (PAT) records where applicable, and a floor plan showing room dimensions in square metres. You will also need evidence of working smoke alarms on every floor and a heat detector in the kitchen. Fire doors to letting rooms and to the kitchen are required in properties of 2 or more storeys. Failing to supply all documents at the point of application is the single most common cause of delay, typically adding 4 to 6 weeks to the process.
What Are the Penalties for Operating Without a Licence in Havering?
Operating an unlicensed HMO in Havering is a serious criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004. The maximum civil penalty is £30,000, and the council can issue separate penalties for each breach — meaning a landlord with multiple unlicensed properties faces cumulative fines that can reach six figures. Criminal prosecution through the magistrates' court carries an unlimited fine. Beyond financial penalties, tenants in an unlicensed HMO have the right to apply for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) through the First-tier Tribunal, recovering up to 12 months' rent paid during the unlicensed period. A landlord convicted or penalised for operating without a licence will fail the fit and proper person test for a period of at least 5 years, preventing them from holding any HMO licence in England during that time. The reputational and financial consequences of non-compliance far exceed the £1,010 licence fee.
What This Means for Havering Landlords
Havering landlords operating properties at or close to the 5-occupant threshold need to audit their portfolios now. The 2018 extension of mandatory licensing brought thousands of additional properties into scope across London, and enforcement activity has increased steadily in every borough since 2020. Havering's housing enforcement team has the power to inspect without prior notice where a complaint is received, and a single tenant complaint is sufficient to trigger an investigation. The fit and proper person requirement means that a penalty notice or conviction anywhere in England — not just in Havering — can affect your ability to licence properties across the entire borough. Renewing your licence before it expires, rather than waiting for a reminder, is the safest approach: applications submitted more than 28 days after a licence expiry may be treated as a new unlicensed period for penalty purposes.
| Council | Licence Type | Fee (5-year) | Occupancy Threshold | Scheme Expiry | Accreditation Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havering | Mandatory HMO | £1,010 | 5+ occupants | Mandatory (no expiry) | Not confirmed |
| Newham | Mandatory + Additional | £1,250 | 5+ occupants / 3+ | Borough-wide additional scheme | Yes – £100 reduction |
| Barking & Dagenham | Mandatory + Selective | £1,200 | 5+ occupants | Selective scheme active | Yes – 10% reduction |
| Waltham Forest | Mandatory + Additional | £1,295 | 5+ occupants / 3+ | Additional scheme 2024–2029 | Yes – £150 reduction |
| Redbridge | Mandatory HMO | £1,100 | 5+ occupants | Mandatory (no expiry) | Not offered |
| Brentwood | Mandatory HMO | £890 | 5+ occupants | Mandatory (no expiry) | Not confirmed |
| Epping Forest | Mandatory HMO | £950 | 5+ occupants | Mandatory (no expiry) | Not offered |
The mandatory HMO licence fee in Havering is £1,010 for a 5-year licence. This fee is non-refundable and covers the application, fit and proper person check, and property inspection.
A property requires a mandatory HMO licence in Havering when 5 or more people from 2 or more separate households share facilities. This threshold has applied since October 2018 across all of England.
Havering Council can issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 for operating an unlicensed HMO. Tenants can additionally claim up to 12 months' rent back through a Rent Repayment Order at the First-tier Tribunal.
Most applications take between 8 and 12 weeks to process in Havering. Landlords should submit at least 12 weeks before a tenancy begins to avoid any period of unlicensed occupation.