Hackney (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Hackney Council has passed new regulations requiring landlords to obtain a licence for each property from May 2026, targeting safety and rental standards.
The move aims to improve renter standards while also addressing rogue landlords.
Landlords must pay £925 for a single home licence and £1,400 for a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
The council stated that the initiative will pay the costs of administration, inspections, and monitoring.
Almost all private rented dwellings in 17 of Hackney’s 21 wards will be included, with the remaining four wards subject to further licensing.
All HMOs with three or more members from two or more households will require a license.
Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, said:
“Everyone in Hackney deserves a good, safe and secure home, and we know more must be done to make that a reality.
Most landlords do the right thing, but too many renters face unacceptable conditions and poor property management.
These conditions don’t just harm individual tenants, they also contribute to wider issues in Hackney – from disrepair to antisocial behaviour.”
Sem Moema, Deputy Cabinet Member for Private Renting and Housing Affordability, said:
“We’ve long campaigned for changes to the private rented sector, including a ban on section 21 no fault evictions.
This new licensing scheme alongside the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act is a big step in ensuring that we can raise standards for people in privately rented homes, support responsible landlords and help our residents have safe and well managed homes.”
What are the licence fees and payment options for HMOs and single homes?
Hackney Council’s new property licensing scheme, effective May 2026, sets freights at £925 for a single rented home and £1,400 for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs). These freights apply to licences covering roughly 76 of intimately rented parcels in the city, with the advanced HMO rate reflecting expanded obligatory licensing for parcels with three or further inhabitants from two or further homes.
Specific payment styles for Hackney’s scheme are n’t detailed in available adverts, but council licensing operations generally bear online payment by card at submission, with options like BACS transfers in exceptional cases.
Landlords should check the sanctioned Hackney property licensing runner or communicate with the council for exact processes once operations open. Abatements or instalments aren’t mentioned for this scheme, unlike some other councils that resolve freights into stages.
