Changes to property licensing including houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
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Additional Licensing
Additional licensing applies to HMO properties that are not covered by mandatory HMO licensing.
A new borough-wide additional licensing scheme started on 27 October 2022 and will end on 27 October 2027 (or earlier if the council revokes the scheme.) This was following a public consultation carried out in 2021.
This scheme requires all of the following types of property to be licensed:
HMOs under section 254 of the Housing Act 2004
- occupied by 3 or more people
- made of 2 or more households
HMOs under section 257 of the Housing Act 2004
- where the building or part of a building is three or more storeys in height
- is made of at least three flats
- all the flats are privately rented
- both the building and the self-contained flats it contains are under the same ownership (or considered by the council to be under the same control)
If you own or manage an HMO anywhere in Barnet, you now require a licence unless it is exempt under Schedule 14 of the Housing Act 2004 and Regulation 6 of The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006.
More details can be found in the Property Licensing Consultation 2021 section on this page.
Selective Licensing
Licensing of all privately rented properties not covered by the mandatory or additional HMO Licensing schemes is known as selective licensing.
We don't currently have any selective licensing schemes running. However 2 schemes have been approved to happen in the following years.
Phase 1 scheme
We have now approved a selective licensing scheme (Phase 1) in Burnt Oak, Colindale North and Colindale South (excluding certain regeneration areas). This was following a public consultation carried out in 2021.
The designation for this scheme is due to be signed in 2024. The scheme comes into force 3 months later. This page will be updated when the final date is decided.
This scheme will require the following types of property to be licensed:
Houses or flats rented to either:
- a single person
- 2 people sharing (regardless of their relationship to one another)
- any number of persons forming a single household (family)
If you own or manage a privately rented property that is not covered by either mandatory or additional licensing anywhere in the three wards (except specified regeneration areas), you will require a licence unless it is exempt under Section 79 (3) or 79 (4) of The Housing Act 2004, once the scheme commences.
More details can be found in the Property Licensing Consultation 2021 section on this page.
Phase 2 scheme
Following a second public consultation carried out in 2023, we have now approved a further selective licensing scheme (Phase 2) in the wards of:
- Childs Hill
- Cricklewood
- Edgware
- Edgwarebury
- Finchley Church End
- Golders Green
- Hendon
- Mill Hill
- West Finchley
- West Hendon
The designation for this scheme is not likely to be signed until around early 2025. The scheme is not coming into force unless it is confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The scheme will not come into operation, if confirmed, until 3 months later (approximately September 2025). This page will be updated when there is more information.
This scheme will require the following types of property to be licensed:
Houses or flats rented to either:
- a single person
- 2 people sharing (regardless of their relationship to one another)
- any number of persons forming a single household (family)
If you own or manage a privately rented property that is not covered by either mandatory or additional licensing anywhere in the ten wards, you will require a licence unless it is exempt under Section 79 (3) or 79 (4) of The Housing Act 2004, once the scheme commences.
More details can be found in the Property Licensing Consultation 2023 section on this page.
What will be changing
Rented properties in the relevant wards that are not HMOs will be required to obtain a licence for the first time in Barnet.
The first selective licensing scheme (Phase 1) will be in Burnt Oak, Colindale North and Colindale South wards. This won't include some regeneration areas.
The scheme will commence in 2024, requiring all other privately rented properties in these areas to be licensed.
Once the designation is made, these webpages will be updated and a copy of the designation will be published on them.
The next selective licensing scheme (Phase 2) will be in Childs Hill, Cricklewood, Edgware, Edgwarebury, Finchley Church End, Golders Green, Hendon, Mill Hill, West Finchley and West Hendon wards.
This scheme won’t start until at least early 2025. Once the designation is made it will be subject to confirmation by the Secretary of State for The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities due to the extent of the combined schemes before it can commence.
Once the designation is made, these webpages will be updated and a copy of the designation will be published on them.
Selective Licensing Consultation 2023
The consultation related to the proposed introduction of Phase 2 of selective licensing. The consultation ran from 22nd February to 31st July 2023.
Comments received from respondents about the proposals were considered and our response:
Check the Cabinet Report of 12th December 2023 (PDF, 14 MB)
Property Licensing Consultation 2021
The consultation related to the introduction of the additional licensing scheme and Phase 1 of selective licensing.
Comments received from respondents about the proposals were considered and our response is published below.
Check the consultation responses received and council responses (PDF, 346 KB)
Check the summary of proposed changes to consultation proposals (PDF, 91 KB)
Contact us
If you would like any more information on private property licensing, please contact:
HMO Licensing Team
London Borough of Barnet
2 Bristol Avenue, London NW9 4EW
Telephone: 020 8359 5355
Email: hmos@barnet.gov.uk