LetLens / Licensing by council
Landlord licensing and Article 4, council by council
Every one of the 296 English councils, with the licensing schemes it actually runs and whether an Article 4 direction has removed the right to create a small HMO without planning permission. Researched council by council from each council's own notices and fee schedules.
- Councils published296Every English council. LetLens is England only.
- Across all 296 councilsThe figures below are for the whole of England, not only the pages published so far.
- Additional licensing53 councilsLicensing extended to smaller HMOs, in all or part of the area.
- Selective licensing59 councilsEvery private rental in a designated area needs a licence.
- HMO Article 4 direction121 councilsConverting a house to a small HMO needs planning permission in the designated area.
- Neither extra scheme204 councilsMandatory HMO licensing only, which still applies everywhere in England.
- Proposed or lapsed12 councilsA scheme out for consultation, or one whose designation has run past its end date with no replacement recorded. Not a settled "no": check the council page.
All 296 English councils
Mandatory HMO licensing applies in every council in the table, because it is national law. The columns below are what each council adds on top of it.
| Council | Region | Additional licensing | Selective licensing | Article 4 (HMO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adur | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Amber Valley | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Arun | South East | In force | No scheme | In force in part of the council (14.7%) |
| Ashfield | East Midlands | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Ashford | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Babergh | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Barking and Dagenham | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Barnet | London | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Barnsley | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Basildon | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (8.3%) |
| Basingstoke and Deane | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Bassetlaw | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (4.7%) |
| Bath and North East Somerset | South West | Lapsed, confirm with the council | No scheme | In force |
| Bedford | East of England | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Bexley | London | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Birmingham | West Midlands | In force | In force | In force |
| Blaby | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Blackburn with Darwen | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Blackpool | North West | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Bolsover | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Bolton | North West | Proposed, not yet in force | No scheme | In force |
| Boston | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Bracknell Forest | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Bradford | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Braintree | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Breckland | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Brent | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Brentwood | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Brighton and Hove | South East | In force | In force | In force |
| Broadland | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Bromley | London | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Bromsgrove | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Broxbourne | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Broxtowe | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (13.4%) |
| Buckinghamshire | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Burnley | North West | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Bury | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Calderdale | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Cambridge | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Camden | London | In force | No scheme | None in force |
| Cannock Chase | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Canterbury | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Castle Point | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Central Bedfordshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Charnwood | East Midlands | In force | In force | In force |
| Chelmsford | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Cheltenham | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (8.1%) |
| Cherwell | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Cheshire East | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (1.2%) |
| Cheshire West and Chester | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (5.5%) |
| Chesterfield | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Chichester | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Chorley | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| City of Bristol | South West | In force | In force | In force |
| City of Lincoln | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| City of London | London | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Colchester | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Cornwall | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (3.2%) |
| Cotswold | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| County Durham | North East | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Coventry | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Crawley | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (0.7%) |
| Croydon | London | Proposed, not yet in force | Proposed, not yet in force | In force |
| Cumberland | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Dacorum | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Darlington | North East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Dartford | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Derby | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Derbyshire Dales | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Doncaster | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | In force in part of the council (16.3%) |
| Dorset Council | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Dover | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Dudley | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Ealing | London | In force | In force | In force |
| East Cambridgeshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| East Devon | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| East Hampshire | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| East Hertfordshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| East Lindsey | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| East Riding of Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | Lapsed, confirm with the council | No scheme | None in force |
| East Staffordshire | West Midlands | No scheme | In force | In force |
| East Suffolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Eastbourne | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Eastleigh | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Elmbridge | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Enfield | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Epping Forest | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Epsom and Ewell | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Erewash | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | Due 6 March 2027 |
| Exeter | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (14.9%) |
| Fareham | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Fenland | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Folkestone and Hythe | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Forest of Dean | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Fylde | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Gateshead | North East | In force | In force | None in force |
| Gedling | East Midlands | No scheme | In force | Made, date not set |
| Gloucester | South West | Expired, confirm with the council | No scheme | Due 3 March 2027 |
| Gosport | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Gravesham | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Great Yarmouth | East of England | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Greenwich | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Guildford | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hackney | London | In force | In force | None in force |
| Halton | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | London | In force | In force | None in force |
| Harborough | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Haringey | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Harlow | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Harrow | London | Lapsed, confirm with the council | In force | In force |
| Hart | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hartlepool | North East | No scheme | No scheme | Due 1 December 2026 |
| Hastings | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Havant | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Havering | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Herefordshire | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hertsmere | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | Due 6 May 2027 |
| High Peak | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hillingdon | London | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Hinckley and Bosworth | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (8.0%) |
| Horsham | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hounslow | London | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Huntingdonshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Hyndburn | North West | No scheme | Expired, confirm with the council | In force |
| Ipswich | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (21.7%) |
| Isle of Wight | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Isles of Scilly | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Islington | London | In force | In force | None in force |
| Kensington and Chelsea | London | In force | No scheme | None in force |
| Kings Lynn and West Norfolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Kingston upon Hull | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Kingston upon Thames | London | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Kirklees | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Knowsley | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Lambeth | London | In force | In force | In force in part of the council (8.6%) |
| Lancaster | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Leeds | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Leicester | East Midlands | No scheme | In force | In force in part of the council (17.6%) |
| Lewes | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Lewisham | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Lichfield | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Liverpool | North West | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Luton | East of England | In force | In force | None in force |
| Maidstone | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Maldon | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Malvern Hills | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Manchester | North West | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Mansfield | East Midlands | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Medway | South East | Proposed, not yet in force | Proposed, not yet in force | In force |
| Melton | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Merton | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Mid Devon | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Mid Suffolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Mid Sussex | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Middlesbrough | North East | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Milton Keynes | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Mole Valley | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| New Forest | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Newark and Sherwood | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Newcastle upon Tyne | North East | In force | In force | In force in part of the council (9.2%) |
| Newcastle-under-Lyme | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (0.2%) |
| Newham | London | In force | In force | In force |
| North Devon | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North East Derbyshire | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North East Lincolnshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| North Hertfordshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North Kesteven | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North Lincolnshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | Due 26 November 2026 |
| North Norfolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North Northamptonshire | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (3.6%) |
| North Somerset | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North Tyneside | North East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| North Warwickshire | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| North West Leicestershire | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (3.4%) |
| North Yorkshire | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Northumberland | North East | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Norwich | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Nottingham | East Midlands | In force | In force | In force |
| Nuneaton and Bedworth | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Oadby and Wigston | East Midlands | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Oldham | North West | No scheme | In force | In force |
| Oxford | South East | In force | In force | In force |
| Pendle | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Peterborough | East of England | In force | In force | None in force |
| Plymouth | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Portsmouth | South East | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Preston | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Reading | South East | In force | Proposed, not yet in force | In force |
| Redbridge | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Redcar and Cleveland | North East | No scheme | Lapsed, confirm with the council | Due 5 October 2026 |
| Redditch | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Reigate and Banstead | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Ribble Valley | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Richmond upon Thames | London | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Rochdale | North West | In force | No scheme | None in force |
| Rochford | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Rossendale | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Rother | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (10.5%) |
| Rotherham | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Rugby | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Runnymede | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Rushcliffe | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Rushmoor | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Rutland | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Salford | North West | Lapsed, confirm with the council | In force | In force |
| Sandwell | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | None in force |
| Sefton | North West | In force | In force | In force |
| Sevenoaks | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Sheffield | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | Lapsed, confirm with the council | In force in part of the council (22.0%) |
| Shropshire | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Slough | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Solihull | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Somerset | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force, boundary uncertain |
| South Cambridgeshire | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Derbyshire | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Gloucestershire | South West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (3.9%) |
| South Hams | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Holland | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Kesteven | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Norfolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Oxfordshire | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Ribble | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| South Staffordshire | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| South Tyneside | North East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Southampton | South East | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Southend-on-Sea | East of England | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Southwark | London | In force | In force | In force in part of the council (0.1%) |
| Spelthorne | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| St Albans | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| St. Helens | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Stafford | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Stevenage | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Stockport | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Stockton-on-Tees | North East | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Stoke-on-Trent | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Stratford-on-Avon | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Stroud | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Sunderland | North East | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (21.8%) |
| Surrey Heath | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Sutton | London | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Swale | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Swindon | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Tameside | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Tamworth | West Midlands | Proposed, not yet in force | No scheme | None in force |
| Tandridge | South East | No scheme | No scheme | May have lapsed |
| Teignbridge | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Telford and Wrekin | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | Due 27 February 2027 |
| Tendring | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Test Valley | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Tewkesbury | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Thanet | South East | No scheme | Lapsed, confirm with the council | In force |
| Three Rivers | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | Due 17 June 2027 |
| Thurrock | East of England | In force | In force | None in force |
| Tonbridge and Malling | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Torbay | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Torridge | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Tower Hamlets | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Trafford | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Tunbridge Wells | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Uttlesford | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Vale of White Horse | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wakefield | Yorkshire and The Humber | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (13.6%) |
| Walsall | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Waltham Forest | London | In force | In force | In force |
| Wandsworth | London | In force | In force | None in force |
| Warrington | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Warwick | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Watford | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Waverley | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wealden | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Welwyn Hatfield | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| West Berkshire | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| West Devon | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| West Lancashire | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (22.1%) |
| West Lindsey | East Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| West Northamptonshire | East Midlands | In force | No scheme | In force |
| West Oxfordshire | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| West Suffolk | East of England | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Westminster | London | In force | In force | None in force |
| Westmorland and Furness | North West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wigan | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Wiltshire | South West | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Winchester | South East | No scheme | No scheme | In force in part of the council (5.7%) |
| Windsor and Maidenhead | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wirral | North West | No scheme | In force | None in force |
| Woking | South East | In force | No scheme | None in force |
| Wokingham | South East | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wolverhampton | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Worcester | West Midlands | In force | No scheme | In force |
| Worthing | South East | No scheme | Proposed, not yet in force | None in force |
| Wychavon | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | None in force |
| Wyre | North West | No scheme | No scheme | In force |
| Wyre Forest | West Midlands | No scheme | No scheme | Due 20 February 2027 |
| York | Yorkshire and The Humber | In force | No scheme | In force |