Landlord licensing in City of London Corporation

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Additional licensing

Additional licensing schemes can extend licensing requirements to smaller HMOs, such as those with three or four tenants. Designations run for up to five years and are often ward- or street-specific. Always confirm the exact position for the address.

Selective licensing

Selective licensing schemes can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check current designations before advertising a property.

Towns covered

City of London

What this means for you

If you let a property in the City of London Corporation area, confirm which licensing regime applies to the exact address. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to larger properties. Additional licensing can extend this to smaller HMOs and selective licensing may require a licence for all private rented homes in designated areas, including single-family lets. Designations, fees and boundaries in London change regularly, so check the council's own licensing pages before each new tenancy. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, ends section 21 no-fault evictions, and introduces a national landlord database and ombudsman. Maintain an evidence pack for every City of London tenancy: a current gas safety record, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website