Landlord Licensing in Newham

Reviewed by Bradley Askew, Solicitor (non-practising), England & Wales. Reviewed 3 August 2026.

The London Borough of Newham runs two separate schemes covering almost the whole borough: a selective licensing scheme and an additional HMO licensing scheme. This guide sets out what's currently designated, what it costs, and what you risk by letting unlicensed — sourced directly from Newham's own published pages, not secondary summaries, because these schemes change frequently.

Current schemes at a glance

Scheme	Coverage	Dates	Fee
Selective licensing	22 of Newham's 24 wards — every ward except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park.	1 June 2023 – 31 May 2028	£750
Additional HMO licensing	Same 22 wards as the selective licensing scheme (all wards except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park) — HMOs with 3 or more occupiers from 2 or more households.	1 January 2023 – 31 December 2027	£1,250

Schemes change — wards get added, fees rise annually, and designations lapse or get renewed. Always check the council's own page (linked below) for the current position before applying or relying on a fee figure.

Scheme detail

Selective licensing

Coverage. 22 of Newham's 24 wards — every ward except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park. Covered wards include 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.

Dates. In force from 1 June 2023. Runs until 31 May 2028.

Fee. £750 standard, valid for up to 5 years; £650 for accredited landlords whose property has an EPC rating of A, B or C.

• Exemptions apply for social housing, leases over 21 years, family lettings, holiday lets and owner-resident landlords
• The council can impose a management order on a persistently unlicensed property

Apply for this licence →

Additional HMO licensing

Coverage. Same 22 wards as the selective licensing scheme (all wards except Royal Victoria and Stratford Olympic Park) — HMOs with 3 or more occupiers from 2 or more households.

Dates. In force from 1 January 2023. Runs until 31 December 2027.

Fee. £1,250 (Part A £400 + Part B £850); a £50 discount for members of an accredited landlord association, plus a further discount for an EPC rating of C or above.

• Applies in addition to mandatory HMO licensing, which continues to cover larger Newham HMOs borough-wide

Apply for this licence →

What happens if you let unlicensed

Operating a licensable property without the required licence is a criminal offence. For an HMO, that's section 72 of the Housing Act 2004; for a selective-licensing property, it's section 95. Both carry an unlimited fine on conviction, or a civil penalty of up to £40,000 as an alternative to prosecution, under section 249A of the Housing Act 2004 (raised from £30,000 with effect from 1 May 2026).

On top of a civil penalty, a tenant or the local authority can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a rent repayment order — for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, this can require repayment of up to 24 months' rent, under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (Part 2, Chapter 4) as amended by the Renters' Rights Act 2025. A civil penalty and a rent repayment order can both be awarded for the same unlicensed period, so the combined exposure for a persistently unlicensed property can run well into six figures. See our full rent repayment orders guide for how the tribunal process works and how to defend against an application.

An unlicensed HMO or selective-licensing property can also affect a landlord's enforcement position, and the council can apply for a management order over a persistently unlicensed property, taking day-to-day control away from the landlord.

Common mistakes

• Assuming a licence from a different scheme covers you. Mandatory HMO licensing, additional HMO licensing and selective licensing are three separate legal regimes — a property can need more than one, or a licence under one scheme doesn't excuse a requirement under another.
• Letting a licence lapse. Renewal isn't automatic; operating on an expired licence is treated the same as never having had one.
• Assuming a designation still applies without checking. These schemes are frequently renewed, expanded, or allowed to lapse — always check the council's current page rather than relying on older news coverage or a previous tenancy's paperwork.
• Missing a scheme because a property is just outside the mandatory HMO threshold. Additional and selective licensing exist precisely to bring smaller HMOs and ordinary lettings into scope.

Get help

• Newham's own private housing or licensing team — for an address-specific check, an application, or to confirm a scheme's current status: Newham — Rented property licensing, Newham — Rented property licensing (fees and areas), Newham — Additional HMO licensing designation, Newham — Additional HMO licensing fees.
• GOV.UK — HMO licence guidance and selective licensing guidance for local authorities for the primary legal framework.

This is legal information, not legal advice. It explains the position for Newham as at 3 August 2026 in general terms and does not take account of your specific circumstances; reading it does not create a solicitor–client relationship. Tenancy Agreement Service is not a law firm and is not regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Licensing schemes change frequently — always confirm current designation, dates and fees directly with the council before applying. If you're facing a licensing dispute, a civil penalty notice, or a rent repayment order application, get advice from a regulated solicitor before responding.