Islington
Islington Property Licence Fees
Islington splits every licence fee into two parts. Part A is paid when you apply and covers processing. Part B is paid when the council grants the licence and covers enforcement and management. Discounts come off Part B.
If you were quoted £800, that figure is out of date. Islington’s apply page stated £800 for a selective licence earlier in 2026. It now agrees with the council’s fee schedule: £850, which is the figure we publish.
Selective licence fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Selective licence (total, Part A £450 + Part B £400) | £850 | Paid in two instalments. |
| Part A payable on application | £450 | Due when you submit the application. |
| Part B payable on grant | £400 | Due when the council approves the application. |
| Discount: accredited landlord (off Part B) | £75 | Requires valid proof from an approved accreditation body. |
| Discount: EPC rating A to C (off Part B) | £50 | Based on the property’s current EPC rating. |
| Discount: renewal with no gap in licensing (off Part B) | £25 | Applies where the new licence follows the old one without a gap. |
Discounts, and when you lose them
Discounts apply to the Part B payment, not to Part A, and they stack. An accredited landlord letting an EPC C property on a gapless renewal claims all three.
Accredited landlord, £75 off Part B
EPC rating A to C, £50 off Part B
Renewal with no gap in licensing, £25 off Part B
Discounts are not available on late applications, where the council has served a warning letter for failure to licence, or where it has had to make two requests for supporting documents. Applying on time is itself worth money.
HMO fees rise with every letting
The single biggest source of surprise on an Islington HMO bill.
An HMO licence costs a £900 base fee plus £100 for every letting, up to 21 lettings. A letting is a bedsit room, or a bedroom in a shared house or flat occupied by more than one household.
So a five-bedroom shared house pays £1,400 before discounts, against £850 for a selective licence.
Mandatory HMO licence fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New application (base fee) | £900 | Plus £100 per letting, for up to 21 lettings. |
| Part A payable on application | £500 | Due when you submit the application. |
| Part B payable on grant (plus £100 per letting) | £400 | Due when the council approves the application. Discounts come off this payment. |
| Discount: accredited landlord (off Part B) | £75 | Requires valid proof from an approved accreditation body. |
| Large student development: per-letting element (per letting) | £35 | Replaces the £100 per letting where more than 15 students live in one building. The £900 base still applies. |
Additional HMO licence fees
| Item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| New application (base fee) | £900 | Plus £100 per letting, for up to 21 lettings. |
| Discount: accredited landlord (off Part B) | £75 | Requires valid proof from an approved accreditation body. |
What happens next
No commencement date has been published, and no early-bird discount or application deadline exists.
21 August 2026
Designation made
7 September 2026
Applications open
23 November 2026
Scheme takes effect
There is no discount for applying early and no published deadline to apply by. Applying late can still cost you: the council may issue a one-year licence rather than a five-year one, and the discounts above are withdrawn on a late application.
Work out what a portfolio will cost
Fees differ by scheme, and HMO fees rise with every letting. Check which scheme each property falls under first.
Frequently asked questions
£850 per property: £450 Part A when you apply, £400 Part B when the council grants the licence. The council’s apply page stated £800 earlier in 2026; it now agrees with the fee schedule at £850.
Off the Part B payment: £75 for an accredited landlord, £50 where the property has an EPC rating of A to C, and £25 on a renewal with no gap in licensing.
An HMO licence is a £900 base fee plus £100 for every letting, up to 21 lettings, so a five-letting shared house pays £1,400 before discounts. A letting is a bedsit room or a bedroom in a shared house or flat occupied by more than one household.
When the council approves the application and issues a draft licence, not at the point of applying.
Yes. Discounts are not available on late applications, where the council has served a warning letter for failure to licence, or where it has had to make two requests for supporting documents.
No. Islington publishes no early application discount and no deadline to apply by. Applying late can result in a one-year licence rather than a five-year one, and withdraws the discounts.
