Do you need a landlord licence in Ealing?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Ealing depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Ealing (London), like every English council, must license larger HMOs, and it can also designate areas for additional or selective licensing. Here’s what each means, what happens if you get it wrong, and how to check Ealing’s current rules.

Licensing in Ealing as at 25 September 2026

Ealing runs selective licensing (East Acton, Southall Broadway and Southall Green, since 1 April 2022; further wards including Acton Central, Greenford, Northolt and Perivale, since 3 January 2023) and additional HMO licensing (borough-wide, from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2027), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

First designation

Area: East Acton, Southall Broadway and Southall Green (pre-May 2022 ward boundaries)

Scheme dates: Since 1 April 2022

Fee: £750 (Part A £250 + Part B £500)

Second designation

Area: Acton Central, Dormers Wells, Greenford Broadway, Greenford Green, Hanger Hill, Hobbayne, Lady Margaret, North Greenford, Northolt Mandeville, Northolt West End, Perivale and South Acton (pre-May 2022 ward boundaries)

Scheme dates: Since 3 January 2023

Fee: £750 (Part A £250 + Part B £500)

Additional HMO licensing

Area: Borough-wide

Scheme dates: From 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2027

Fee: £1,300 (Part A £300 + Part B £1,000); £75 off Part B if accredited, £50 off Part B for an EPC of A–C (council's published fee schedule)

Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies everywhere in Ealing, as across England, to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households.

Ealing consulted from 15 July to 24 September 2026 on renewing additional HMO licensing for the borough, or a large part of it, from around April 2027, when the current scheme ends.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Designations and fees change. Confirm your exact address and the live fee with Ealing before you apply.

The three types of licence

  • Mandatory HMO licence. Required across England for larger HMOs — typically a property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This applies in Ealing regardless of any local scheme.
  • Additional HMO licence. Ealing can extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs in designated parts of its area.
  • Selective licence. Ealing can require a licence for all privately rented homes — including ordinary single-family lets — within a designated area. Larger schemes need government approval, and they’re used in areas with specific housing or anti-social-behaviour concerns.

The penalties for renting unlicensed in Ealing

Letting a property that needs a licence without one is a criminal offence. You risk an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent, and a possible banning order. (Those are the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act raised them from £30,000 and 12 months.)

How to check Ealing's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Ealing’s website for “property licensing” or “landlord licensing”, check whether your postcode falls inside a designated area, and note the licence type, the boundaries and the scheme dates. If in doubt, contact Ealing’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Ealing’s own licensing page on 25 September 2026.

Never miss a licensing deadline

LandlordReady tracks the licences and certificates each of your properties needs and warns you before they lapse — so a renewal or a new Ealing scheme doesn’t catch you out.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to rent out a property in Ealing?

As at 25 September 2026, Ealing runs selective licensing (East Acton, Southall Broadway and Southall Green, since 1 April 2022; further wards including Acton Central, Greenford, Northolt and Perivale, since 3 January 2023) and additional HMO licensing (borough-wide, from 1 April 2022 until 31 March 2027), on top of mandatory HMO licensing. If your property is in a selective licensing area, you need a licence for any privately rented home there — including an ordinary single let — unless it is exempt or licensed as an HMO. If you let an HMO that doesn't need a mandatory licence and falls within additional licensing (borough-wide), it needs an additional HMO licence. A larger HMO (five or more people, two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Ealing. Check your exact address on Ealing's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Ealing?

Ealing's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence (First designation): £750 (Part A £250 + Part B £500). Selective licence (Second designation): £750 (Part A £250 + Part B £500). Additional HMO licence: £1,300 (Part A £300 + Part B £1,000); £75 off Part B if accredited, £50 off Part B for an EPC of A–C (council's published fee schedule). Fees are set by the council and can change, so confirm the current figure before you apply.

What happens if I rent without a required licence in Ealing?

Renting an unlicensed property that needs a licence is a criminal offence. You can face an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent (the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026).

Check landlord licensing in other areas.