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London licensing · Checked 2 October 2026

Do I need a landlord licence in Tower Hamlets?

Tower Hamlets runs additional HMO licensing. Here's what that means for your property, which wards are covered and what a licence costs. Check a postcode →

Quick answer

Single letNo scheme found

We found no selective licensing scheme in this borough. Confirm with the council before letting.

Small HMO (3–4 sharers)Licence needed

Additional HMO licensing covers the whole borough. Fee: £1,323 online.

Large HMO (5+ sharers)Mandatory licence

Applies everywhere in England. Fee: £977 online plus £68.50 per habitable room.

Based on the schemes on our records (checked 2 October 2026). Councils can change schemes at short notice, so always confirm with the council.

Watch: The selective licensing designation ended on 30 September 2026 and has not been replaced, according to the latest source. Confirm with the council.

New: the landlord databaseLondon registration opens 15 Jul 2027 · deadline 14 Oct 2027 · £65 per property, per year. You must register even if no council licence applies. How to register →

Licensing schemes in Tower Hamlets

Additional HMO licensing

In force
Covers
The whole borough
Runs
1 Apr 2024 → 31 Mar 2029
Fee
£1,323 online
Applies to
HMOs with 3 or 4 sharers from 2+ households

Mandatory HMO licensing

In force
Covers
The whole borough
Applies to
HMOs with 5 or more people from 2+ households
Fee
£977 online plus £68.50 per habitable room

How to apply

Apply through the Tower Hamlets Council licensing page. Most councils take online applications with a gas safety certificate, EICR, EPC, floor plan and tenancy details. Licences usually run for five years or until the scheme ends.

Licensing changes often

Councils add and renew schemes every few months. We check every borough monthly. Use our free landlord compliance checklist for everything else a let needs.

Track licences across your portfolio

The Landlord Portfolio Toolkit logs licence numbers, expiry dates and certificates for every property, with alerts before anything runs out.

See the toolkit · HMO calculator

Sources

Other London boroughs

This guide summarises council licensing schemes from published sources and is checked periodically. It is not legal advice. Designations use the ward boundaries in force when they were made, which can differ from current wards. Always confirm with the council before letting a property. Letting without a required licence can lead to fines of up to £40,000 and rent repayment orders of up to 24 months.