Rental Property Licensing in Whitechapel

Whitechapel is one of the areas in Tower Hamlets covered by selective licensing. If you own a rental property in Whitechapel, you almost certainly need a licence. Here is what applies.

Selective licensing in Whitechapel

Whitechapel falls within the Tower Hamlets selective licensing scheme. The scheme applies to most privately rented properties in the area, including properties rented to a single household or two individuals sharing.

From 1 April 2024, any property within the selective licensing area that is occupied as an HMO (three or four people from two or more separate households sharing facilities) requires an additional licence rather than a selective licence. If you held a selective licence for such a property before that date, the council will convert it to an additional licence for the remainder of the licence period at no extra cost.

Additional licensing for smaller HMOs

Tower Hamlets operates borough-wide additional licensing for properties occupied by three or four people from two or more separate households sharing facilities. This applies across the whole borough, including Whitechapel.

Mandatory HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties with five or more tenants from two or more households sharing facilities. This is a national requirement under the Housing Act 2004.

How to check if your property needs a licence

Use Tuxa to check any address in Whitechapel instantly. You can also contact the Tower Hamlets housing licensing team at [email protected] or on 020 7364 5008.

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Tuxa monitors licensing scheme data across England. Use the search above to check any property in Whitechapel or anywhere else in the country.