Following a public consultation earlier in the year (read here), Islington Council recently decided to implement two new landlord licensing schemes.
The decision was made at a meeting of Islington’s Executive on 23 October 2025. Councillors were told the licensing consultation had attracted 1,081 responses. Almost half of respondents had expressed support for the new licensing schemes.
The council’s current additional licensing scheme ends on 31 January 2026. The Executive approved plans to renew the borough wide additional licensing scheme for a further five years, starting 1 February 2026. This scheme extends licensing to most Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), including homes shared by three or four unrelated people.
The Executive also approved plans for a second selective licensing scheme. The current selective licensing scheme, which started in May 2024, extends licensing to all private rented homes occupied by a single household or two unrelated people in the Finsbury Park, Tollington and Hillrise council wards.
The licensing consultation had proposed extending selective licensing to a further nine wards. Having considered all the feedback, the second selective licensing scheme has been scaled back to seven wards. The new wards subject to selective licensing will be Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction and Laycock.
It is unclear when this new selective licensing scheme will start. At time of publication, no scheme designation could be found on the council’s website and their property licensing webpage only mentioned the first scheme. London Property Licensing has asked the council to confirm the start date and as awaiting a response.
When this new licensing scheme goes live, it will bring thousands more privately rented homes within scope of property licensing rules.
According to the council. nearly a third of homes in Islington are privately rented. The council say they are committed to standing alongside renters who too often face poor conditions and rising rents. The licensing schemes are targeting areas where renters are most vulnerable and ensuring landlords meet their responsibilities.
Cllr John Woolf, Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, said:
“Everyone in Islington deserves a decent, safe and genuinely affordable place to live. We’ve listened to residents, landlords and housing campaigners and we’re taking action.
“While many landlords in Islington act responsibly and maintain their properties well, we continue to hear from hundreds of renters who feel unsafe and unheard, while their rents keep rising. This new scheme is about giving renters the protection they need—and the quality housing they deserve.”
Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in Islington is available here.
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