Newham Council Is Moving To Data-Led Enforcement
Property Licensing Guide for Newham
Newham currently operates selective licensing in 22 wards and additional licensing in 22 wards; mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere. Last checked: 20 October 2026.
This free guide will provide you with the key details regarding what licensing requirements are necessary in this area and how to apply for a licence.
New to this? Read our overview: What is selective licensing?
Newham is in the London registration window for the PRS database, which opens on 15 July 2027: see how the London registration window affects letting agents.
Newham Property Licensing Schemes
To check whether a Newham property is licensed, use the council’s public register. As of 20 October 2026 the online register is offline for development work. Newham publishes PDF registers of HMO licences and selective licences instead. Email propertylicensing@newham.gov.uk if a property you manage is not on them. Kamma’s free checker shows which scheme covers an address.
Is manual compliance causing a headache for your agency? At Kamma, we specialise in automating licensing compliance for agents across the UK. If you need any assistance in getting your property portfolio compliant, find out how we can help letting agents here.
Not sure whether a Newham property needs a licence? Kamma's free checker covers selective, additional and HMO schemes.
Check a Newham property →What are the licensing requirements for Newham?
Mandatory licensing in Newham
Mandatory HMO licensing applies across Newham (and all of England) to larger HMOs. These are properties occupied by five or more people forming more than one household, including:
- Shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals.
- Properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities.
- Properties converted into a mix of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation.
Do I need an additional property licence in Newham?
Additional licensing requires smaller HMOs in a designated area to be licensed. That means a privately rented property with three or more people forming more than one household.
Newham operates additional HMO licensing. The current designation is set out below.
Do I need a selective licence in Newham?
Selective licensing requires almost all privately rented properties in a designated area to be licensed, regardless of the number of occupants.
Newham operates selective licensing. The current designation is set out below.
Additional licensing: 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027, covering Beckton, Boleyn, Canning Town North, Canning Town South, Custom House, East Ham, East Ham South, Forest Gate North, Forest Gate South, Green Street East, Green Street West, Little Ilford, Manor Park, Maryland, Plaistow North, Plaistow South, Plaistow West & Canning Town East, Plashet, Royal Albert, Stratford, Wall End and West Ham.
Selective licensing: 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028, covering Beckton, Boleyn, Canning Town North, Canning Town South, Custom House, East Ham, East Ham South, Forest Gate North, Forest Gate South, Green Street East, Green Street West, Little Ilford, Manor Park, Maryland, Plaistow North, Plaistow South, Plaistow West & Canning Town East, Plashet, Royal Albert, Stratford, Wall End and West Ham.
Mandatory HMO licensing: in force since 2006 for HMOs of five or more people forming more than one household.
How do I apply for a licence?
You can apply for a licence via Newham Council’s website here. Or let Kamma’s expert team process the application for you.
How much does a licence cost?
Licence fees
| Licence | Fee |
|---|---|
| Selective licence | £750 per property |
| Additional HMO licence | £1,250 per property |
Fees as published by the council, verified 20 July 2026; subject to change. See the council’s fee page for full schedules, payment stages and discounts.
We Handle Your Newham Applications End-to-End
TRUSTED BY LEADING AGENTS & LANDLORDS ACROSS THE UK
Managing Across Multiple Boroughs?
Reduce risk by swapping manual tracking for our licensing compliance platform Kamma Suite.
2 licensing schemes. Know exactly what you need.
Newham Property Licensing FAQs
What licensing schemes does Newham operate?
Newham Council runs two area schemes and the national one. Selective licensing runs from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028 in 22 of 24 wards. Additional HMO licensing runs from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027 in the same 22 wards. Mandatory HMO licensing applies borough-wide.
Do all properties in Newham need a licence?
It depends on the scheme and the property. In Newham’s 22 selective licensing wards, most privately rented homes need a selective licence. HMOs of three or four people in those wards need an additional licence. HMOs of five or more people need a mandatory licence anywhere in Newham. Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park wards have mandatory HMO licensing only.
What if my property doesn't have a licence?
Newham Council can impose civil penalties of up to £40,000 per unlicensed property. The landlord also risks a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent. A letting agent who manages the property or collects the rent can be fined separately.
Can letting agents apply on behalf of landlords?
Yes. Letting agents can apply for Newham property licences on behalf of landlords. Applications go through the My Newham portal, and Part A of the fee is payable when the application is made.
How do I apply for a Newham property licence?
Apply through the My Newham portal, linked from Newham Council’s licensing pages. Part A of the fee is paid on application and Part B once the council decides to grant the licence. Kamma also prepares applications for letting agents.
Why did Newham introduce selective licensing?
Newham Council says its selective licensing designation, in force since 1 June 2023, rests on housing conditions, persistent anti-social behaviour and high deprivation. The scheme covers 22 of the borough’s 24 wards and runs to 31 May 2028.
Why did Newham introduce additional licensing?
Newham Council says its licensing schemes aim to tackle poor property conditions, deprivation, anti-social behaviour and poor management. Additional HMO licensing began on 1 January 2023, runs to 31 December 2027 and covers HMOs of three or four people in 22 of 24 wards.
What are the conditions to obtain an HMO licence in Newham?
Newham publishes separate licence conditions for HMOs (HMO licence conditions) and for selective licences (selective licence conditions).
About Newham
Newham has 24 wards, and selective and additional licensing cover 22 of them. Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park have mandatory HMO licensing only. Newham, an inner borough of London, England, lies mostly within the historic county of Essex, bordered by the River Roding and Barking Creek to the east, the River Thames to the south, and the River Lea to the west. Formed in 1965 by merging East Ham, West Ham, North Woolwich, and parts of Barking, Newham encompasses areas such as Canning Town, Stratford, and Forest Gate. Rich in history, Newham’s name traces back to Domesday Book, and its development accelerated in the 19th century with Londoners and European immigrants settling near the Royal Docks, fostering the growth of working-class neighbourhoods like Silvertown and Custom House.
Licensing Enforcement in Newham
Newham Council enforces property licensing across its schemes. On 19 November 2024 Thames Magistrates’ Court fined a managing agent £60,000 for failing to license an overcrowded house in Altmore Avenue, East Ham. Letting a property without the required licence risks prosecution and civil penalties of up to £40,000 per property. The landlord can also face a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent. Where a letting agent manages the property or collects the rent, the agent commits the offence too and can be fined in its own right.
Neighbouring borough guides
Licensing schemes stop at the borough boundary. A property one street over can need a different licence. Guides for the neighbouring boroughs:
