For tenants:
If the City of London is your landlord, or if you would like to be a tenant of City of London property, then please visit the housing page for details of all our housing services.
Rented accommodation should be healthy and safe to live in. The Pollution Team may be able to help if you live in other rented accommodation where there are housing conditions that are unhealthy or may cause a serious accident. Sometimes a property is in disrepair, or may have defects like dampness, or could be very difficult to keep warm.
The Housing Acts, Environmental Protection Act, Public Health Act, and Building Act, are there to help ensure that housing is safe and reasonable to occupy. If you feel that there are problems, your first contact should be your landlord or letting agent.
If they are unable or unwilling to help, we may be able to assist. Similarly if you are experiencing problems with shared accommodation or require information about HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing, please contact us on: 020 7606 3030, or by email at publicprotection@cityoflondon.gov.uk.
For landlords:
'Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation Part 2, Housing Act 2004 – Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006.'
The above legislation came into force on the 6 April 2006. An application form and guidance notes are available to download below.
In the City of London, properties of three or more floors, with five or more tenants belonging to two or more households are required by law to be licensed.
A license will be granted if the following criteria are satisfied:
- The proposed license holder (which can be the landlord or managing agent) are fit and proper people.
- The property and the tenancy are managed appropriately.
- The accommodation meets all the minimum standards, e.g. sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents.
Licenses will be issued with certain conditions attached.
If after investigation of the details in the application form it is found that the premises falls outside the mandatory licensing provisions you will be notified and no charge made. If the premises falls within the mandatory licensing provisions a fee of £110 (made payable to City of London Corporation) will be required (fees are subject to annual revision).
Please contact us if you require further advice as to whether your property contains units that need to be registered. It is a criminal offence to operate a house in multiple occupation without a licence and a fine of £20,000 may be imposed together with other measures allowed within the legislation.
For further information, application forms, or to report a complaint or problem, please call us at 020 7606 3030, or email publicprotection@cityoflondon.gov.uk.