More councils consult on licensing and standards

Landlords in Greenwich, Ealing and Hertsmere are facing proposed changes to selective licensing, HMO licensing and shared housing standards.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich wants to expand selective licensing from five wards to as many as 18, bringing around 70% of the borough within the scheme.

Ealing Council is consulting on extending its borough-wide licensing scheme for smaller houses in multiple occupation for another five years, while Hertsmere Borough Council has proposed new HMO amenity standards.

News of the councils unveiling consultations follows that of Slough council’s move to license 17,000 properties.

Extended licensing in Greenwich

Greenwich introduced its existing selective licensing scheme in 2022 and has identified 12 more wards where landlords could be required to obtain a licence.

Since the beginning of 2025, Greenwich has inspected 622 licensed properties and, it claims, has worked with landlords to resolve 2,103 hazards, including damp, mould and fire safety concerns.

Councillor Joshua Ayodele, cabinet member for community safety and integrated enforcement, said: “We believe residents who rent privately should live in safe, well-managed and high-quality homes.

“While most landlords provide good quality homes, evidence shows a proportion of properties in the proposed areas are poorly maintained or badly managed.”

Ealing’s additional licensing

Meanwhile, Ealing is considering whether to renew its additional licensing scheme for smaller HMOs when the current arrangement expires on 31 March 2027.

The proposed scheme could operate for a further five years, potentially taking it to 2032, and would continue to cover shared homes occupied by three or four people from more than one household.

Inspectors there identified 4,890 housing hazards during visits to more than 900 HMOs over the past two years.

Around two-thirds of the properties inspected had hazards requiring attention.

Antisocial behaviour in Ealing

Ealing also recorded 3,649 antisocial behaviour incidents linked to known HMO properties between April 2021 and April 2026.

During an inspection in 2023, officers found a bed concealed behind curtains in a combined kitchen and living area. The council ordered the landlord to remove the sleeping space because it created a fire risk and provided no privacy for the occupier.

Councillor Louise Brett, Ealing’s deputy leader, said: “We know that many people rely on shared housing as an affordable place to live.

“But some rented HMOs fall below the standards people should expect.”

She added: “This consultation is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in private renting to help shape how we keep improving standards across the borough in the years ahead.”

Council defines HMO sizes

In Hertsmere, the council is consulting on proposed amenity standards covering HMO bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, communal space, storage, refuse and recycling arrangements.

The proposals would require landlords to ensure that fire and gas safety precautions meet national requirements, gardens are kept free from rubbish and refuse is stored and disposed of appropriately.

They would also introduce new expectations for the size of bedrooms, living areas and bathrooms, along with quarterly inspections of HMOs.

Councillor Alan Matthews, the portfolio holder for housing and housing development, said: “These proposed standards are designed to help ensure that everyone living in shared accommodation has access to safe, well maintained, and good quality homes.

“We encourage anyone with an interest in HMOs to take part in the consultation and share their views.”