Applying for an HMO licence in Newham?
First-time HMO landlord, or just unsure where to start? Newham has the highest concentration of private rented housing in London (over 50%) and one of the most established licensing regimes — running since 2013. The council's published standards are stricter than most boroughs and enforcement is constant. We'll inspect your property before you apply, tell you exactly what needs fixing, and (if you'd like) submit the licence application for you. Inspections from £199, licence applications from £295. No jargon, no surprises.
Not sure if your Newham property needs a licence? If you let in Newham, almost certainly yes.Newham licenses more rented properties than any other London borough and the council's standards are strict. Mandatory, Additional and Selective schemes all run concurrently. The current designation expires 31 May 2028 but renewals come fast. Civil penalties up to £40,000, prosecution carries unlimited fines, and tenants can claim back up to 24 months' rent.
Which Newham Licence Applies to You?
Newham has all three HMO licensing schemes running at the same time. Which one applies depends on how many people live in the property and where it sits in the borough. The table below explains each in plain English. Not sure where you fit? Send us the address and number of occupants on WhatsApp — we'll tell you in 5 minutes.
Mandatory
Required where 5 or more people from 2+ households share. National scheme. Newham's mandatory fee scales with the number of lettings.
From £1,400 (up to 5 lettings)Additional
Required for any HMO of 3 or 4 unrelated occupants from 2+ households. Applies to all wards EXCEPT Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park.
£1,250 application feeSelective
Required for single-family or two-sharer lets. Applies to all wards EXCEPT Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park.
£750 (£650 with accreditation + EPC C+)Discounts for accredited landlords (e.g. London Landlord Accreditation Scheme) combined with a property EPC of A+ to C reduce the selective fee to £650. Multi-dwelling discounts apply where multiple flats in one building under common ownership are licensed together — contact propertylicensing@newham.gov.uk to register interest.
The Most Heavily Licensed Borough in London.
Newham's licensing schemes were the first borough-wide selective scheme in London, originally introduced in 2013 and now in their third 5-year cycle. The combined effect: over 50% of housing in the borough is in scope, and the council has one of the most experienced enforcement teams in the capital.
How We De-Risk Your Application.
Newham's licensing team is one of the most active in London — they inspect, they enforce, and they have a long track record of issuing civil penalties and prosecuting unlicensed landlords. The cost of getting an independent inspection beforehand is significantly lower than a refused application or an enforcement visit.
On-site inspection by an EHO. Full report against Newham's licence conditions: fire safety (LACORS), room sizes, amenity provision, electrical and gas safety, and management standards. You get a prioritised action list, not a generic checklist.
Get a quoteWe complete and submit your Additional, Selective or Mandatory HMO licence application via Newham's My Newham portal. Includes plan annotation, document collation and direct liaison with the property licensing team.
Get a quoteCommon Newham HMO Setups.
Newham is dense, mostly Victorian and Edwardian, with regeneration pockets around Stratford and the Royal Docks. The licence conditions are uniform but the issues we find vary significantly by area.
East Ham & Forest GateE6 · E7
Densely-packed Victorian terraces, the largest concentration of small HMOs in the borough. Common findings: protected escape routes through kitchens, original lath-and-plaster ceilings failing 30-minute fire resistance, bedrooms below the national 6.51 m² minimum, and Article 4 violations where C3 properties have been converted to C4 without planning consent.
Manor Park & Wanstead ParkE12
Edwardian terraces, often let to professional sharers and family households. Typical issues: outdated EICRs, missing interlinked smoke alarms on all storeys, kitchen amenity ratios inadequate for 5+ person HMOs.
Plaistow & West HamE13 · E15
Mix of Victorian terraces and post-war infill blocks. Common findings: damp and mould management gaps (now actionable under Awaab's Law), older single-glazed sash windows with inadequate ventilation, and management agreements not on file when the council requests them.
Stratford & MarylandE15
Mix of older terraces and newer purpose-built apartments around the regeneration zone (note: Stratford Olympic Park ward is excluded from discretionary licensing). Issues are mostly documentation: occupancy declarations, shared utilities arrangements, agency vs landlord licensing responsibility.
Canning Town & Custom HouseE16
Newer regeneration developments alongside older 1960s/70s blocks. Common findings: management standards in older blocks, accurate occupancy declarations in newer purpose-built blocks, and the perennial Royal Victoria boundary question — landlords sometimes assume they're exempt when their property is in fact one street outside the excluded area.
Questions Newham Landlords Are Asking.
Newham's licensing schemes are already live — what's the deadline pressure?
There isn't a single deadline — every property let in scope without a licence is operating unlicensed today. Both schemes have been live for over three years (additional from 1 January 2023, selective from 1 June 2023). Newham is widely regarded as one of London's most aggressive enforcement boroughs. If you've inherited a property or recently started letting in Newham, get inspected and apply now.
My property is in Royal Victoria or Stratford Olympic Park. Do I still need a licence?
Not under the borough's discretionary schemes. Both the additional and selective schemes specifically exclude Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park wards. However, mandatory HMO licensing still applies — if your property has 5+ occupants from 2+ households, you need a mandatory HMO licence regardless of which Newham ward it's in.
When do Newham's current additional and selective schemes expire?
The additional licensing scheme expires on 31 December 2027 and the selective scheme on 31 May 2028. Both ran for 5 years from their original launch dates. The council has not yet announced renewal plans, but the consultation cycle for renewal typically begins 12-18 months ahead, so expect activity from late 2026 onwards.
What's the actual cost of a Newham selective licence with discounts?
The headline selective licence fee is £750 for 5 years. Discounts are available for landlords accredited under a recognised scheme who also hold a property with an EPC rating of A+, A, B or C — these reduce the online application fee to £650. Multi-dwelling discounts apply where multiple flats in the same building under common ownership are licensed together.
Newham has had an Article 4 Direction since 2012. What does this mean for converting a property to HMO?
Newham's borough-wide Article 4 Direction (from 31 July 2012) removes permitted development rights to convert a single-family house (C3) to a small HMO of up to 6 people (C4). You need both planning permission AND a property licence before letting. If you let an unlawfully converted C4 HMO, you face enforcement on both fronts. This is one of the longest-standing HMO Article 4 directions in London.
Do you work with letting agents managing Newham HMOs?
Yes — we work with letting agents and managing agents handling HMO portfolios. If you'd value an independent third-party compliance check rather than relying on your team's own walkthrough, get in touch about volume arrangements.