Private Rented Property Licensing

Newham, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham and parts of Redbridge & Havering have all been designated as Private Rented Property Licence Area’s.

Put simply, this means that owners of every privately rented home in either borough must apply for a Private Rented Property Licence (PRPL), to be issued by the Council.

Owners with multiple rented properties in the boroughs must complete an application for each property that is rented.

Fee's & Charges

The fee's and charges for a Private Rented Property Licence will vary depending on the number of occupants / households and which borough the property is located in.

Further details on the licensing costs can be found on the Local Authority websites listed below. 

What is meant by the term 'Household'?

A household is either a single person or members of the same family who live together.

A family includes people who are:

Married couples or couples living together as married.

Relatives or half-relatives e.g. grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, nieces, cousins.

Step-parents and step-children, but not step-siblings unless the connecting step-parent is also resident.  Foster parents and foster children.

How do I apply for a property licence?

You can apply for property licences by visiting the following local authority websites: 

NEWHAM

WALTHAM FOREST

BARKING & DAGENHAM

REDBRIDGE

How do landlords benefit from licensing?

Licensing will help identify rogue landlords who impact negatively on the reputation of private landlords.

It will improve the rental market across the boroughs by raising standards, whilst also supporting responsible landlords with tenancy disputes and troublesome and anti-social tenants.

Landlords will benefit from a more professional and robust market and more sustainable tenancies.

What happens to landlords who refuse to apply?

Every landlord will be given reasonable time to licence their properties but the council will pursue those who flout the law. Complete applications to licence a property must be submitted to the Property Licensing Team.

It would be an offence to fail to licence a property that requires one. It could result in prosecution, with a fine of up to £20,000. Additionally a rent repayment order (RRO) for up to 12 months rental income can be made.

How do tenants benefit from licensing?

Licensing will help identify and penalise rogue landlords who are responsible for creating poor housing conditions and limiting the rental choices available to residents in Newham, Waltham Forest, Barking & Dagenham and Redbridge.

It will improve the rental market across the areas by raising standards, supporting tenants and hopefully creating a more stable community.