Selective Licensing in Haringey

Haringey is now a fully "licensing city": borough-wide additional HMO licensing, a large selective scheme over most of the east of the borough, and high London-tier fees with active enforcement.

Scheme status, areas, and dates

Selective licensing

• Scheme: Haringey Selective Licensing Designation.
• Status: Live scheme, first 5-year term.

Dates:

• Start: 17 November 2022.
• End: 16 November 2027.

Area covered (ward list): applies to all PRS in these wards:

• Bounds Green
• Bruce Castle
• Harringay
• Hermitage and Gardens
• Noel Park
• Northumberland Park
• Seven Sisters
• South Tottenham
• St Ann's
• Tottenham Central
• Tottenham Hale
• West Green
• White Hart Lane
• Woodside

Selective licensing covers any privately rented property in these wards that is not already under an HMO licence, regardless of number of occupants.

Additional and mandatory HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing: 5+ occupiers as usual.

Additional HMO licensing:

• Borough-wide additional HMO scheme approved March 2024, running 17 June 2024 - 16 June 2029.
• Covers all HMOs across all wards that fall outside mandatory licensing, including most 3-4-sharer houses and many flats used as HMOs.

NRLA notes Haringey has operated borough-wide additional licensing since May 2019 (first scheme) and has now renewed it for 2024-29.

Fees (2025-26)

From fee tables and licensing guides:

Selective licence:

• GBP 642 per property (headline fee).
• Council fee structure splits this as GBP 374.50 (Part A) + GBP 267.50 (Part B).
• Discounts: GBP 50 off for LLAS or other recognised accreditation, GBP 50 off for EPC A-C.

Additional / mandatory HMO licence:

• GBP 1,295 per HMO, split into GBP 558.50 + GBP 736.50 under the 2024-29 scheme.

So for most investors:

• Single-let or 1-2 sharers in the selective wards: ~GBP 642 (less if accredited/EPC C+).
• 3+ sharer HMO anywhere in Haringey: GBP 1,295 (additional or mandatory).

Licence conditions, penalties, enforcement

Conditions

Haringey's licence conditions sets run to dozens of clauses. Key themes:

Fit and proper licence holder and manager.

Property condition and safety:

• No serious hazards, adequate heating, damp and mould treated.
• Gas safety, EICR, smoke and CO alarms.

Management:

• Inspection regime, record-keeping, prompt repairs.
• Information for tenants on how to contact landlord/agent.

Tenancy / ASB:

• Written ASTs, deposit protection, prescribed information.
• Steps to tackle antisocial behaviour and waste.

HMO licences add strict conditions on room sizes, amenity ratios and fire precautions.

Penalties and enforcement

NRLA's "enforcement deep dive" describes Haringey as one of the most active licensing enforcers in London:

• Since May 2019: over 2,166 compliance inspections under the additional HMO scheme alone.

The council uses:

• Civil penalties up to GBP 30,000 per offence.
• Prosecutions for serious housing offences.
• Rent Repayment Orders for up to 12 months' rent, likely to extend under Renters' Rights Act changes.

Council papers explicitly frame borough-wide additional licensing as giving "more powers to tackle poorly managed PRS" and note that evidence suggests "a significant proportion of landlords are still non-compliant" despite years of licensing.

Exemptions and application process

Exemptions

Standard exemptions:

• Properties already under mandatory or additional HMO licences.
• Social housing, some housing association stock.
• Certain business tenancies and long leases.
• Some specified PBSA / halls.

But because additional HMO is borough-wide, and selective covers 14 east-side wards, almost every PRS home in those wards needs either an HMO licence or a selective licence.

How to apply

Landlords use Haringey's online property-licensing portal, selecting HMO or selective based on occupancy and location.

Pay Part A on application, Part B once the council is ready to grant.

Fee structure document confirms licences are not transferable and fees may be adjusted if scheme costs change.

Impact on the local market and comparison with neighbours

Market and landlord behaviour

Haringey has around 44,000 PRS dwellings, many concentrated in the east (Tottenham/Harringay/Noel Park).

Licensing coverage:

• 5,000+ HMOs under borough-wide additional and mandatory schemes.
• 25,000+ properties under the selective scheme.

NRLA analysis notes: Licensing has given the council a much clearer picture of the stock and a route to force improvements in thousands of properties.

Landlord responses are split:

• Residents and tenant groups welcomed the schemes.
• Most landlords opposed them, citing cost, admin and fears of rent rises.

Compared to neighbours

Using fee tables and scheme scope:

• Enfield: borough-wide selective + additional; fees GBP 735/1,276.
• Hackney: borough-wide selective; lower selective/HMO fees GBP 500/950.
• Haringey: Selective in 14 wards, borough-wide additional HMO; fees GBP 642 / 1,295.

So Haringey is right up there with Newham, Lewisham, Waltham Forest on intensity of coverage, with mid-to-high London fees and strong enforcement.

What forums get wrong about Haringey

Myth 1: "Selective licensing is just a little Tottenham pilot; most of Haringey is free."

Reality: Since 17 November 2022 selective licensing has covered 14 wards (Bounds Green through to Woodside), and runs until 16 November 2027, hitting over 25,000 homes.

Myth 2: "Additional HMO licensing is just around Seven Sisters and Green Lanes."

Reality: From 17 June 2024 a new borough-wide additional HMO scheme runs to 16 June 2029, on top of mandatory licensing. Most 3-4-sharer HMOs anywhere in Haringey now need a licence.

Myth 3: "The selective fee is tiny, GBP 350 and done."

Reality: The current selective fee is GBP 642 per property, split 374.50 + 267.50, with at most GBP 100 of discounts for accreditation and EPC A-C; HMO licences are GBP 1,295.

Myth 4: "Haringey talks tough but hardly enforces."

Reality: The council reports 2,166+ compliance inspections under additional licensing, uses civil penalties and RROs, and is specifically renewing borough-wide HMO licensing because non-compliance remains significant.

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