1. The London Borough of Hackney (the “Council”) in exercise of its powers under section 56 of the Housing Act 2004 (the “Act”) has on the 27 November 2025 designated the area of the whole of its district as subject to additional licensing. The designation will be known as the London Borough of Hackney Designation of an Area for Additional Licensing 2025.

2. The designation shall come into force on the 1 May 2026 and shall cease to have effect on the 30 April 2031.

3. The designation applies to the whole of the Council’s district as delineated and highlighted purple on the map annexed hereto (the “Designated Area”).

4. The effect of the designation is that every house in multiple occupation (“HMO”) as defined by section 254(1)(a)-(d) of the Act (excluding section 257 HMOs under section 254(1)(e) of the Act) that is occupied by three or more persons comprising two or more households shall be required to be licensed under section 61 of the Act unless a statutory exemption applies, namely:

(a) a temporary exemption notice is in force in relation to the HMO under section 62 of the Act;

(b) an interim or final management order is in force in relation to the HMO under Chapter 1 of Part 4 to the Act;

(c) the HMO is required to be licensed under section 55(2)(a) of the Act (mandatory licensing); or

(d) the building (or part of a building) is listed in Schedule 14 to the Act.

5. The designation did not require confirmation by the Secretary of State because a general approval under section 58 of the Act applied to it, namely the Housing Act 2004 Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Selective Licensing of Other Residential Accommodation (England) General Approval 2024.

6. The designation may be inspected, during office hours by appointment, at the Private Sector Housing Team’s offices at 2 Hillman Street (The Annexe) London E8 1FB (contact details below).

7. Applications for licences and information and advice regarding the designation and how to apply for a licence may be obtained from the Council’s Private Sector Housing Team at the above offices. Their contact details are as follows:

• Telephone: 020 8356 4866

• Website: www.hackney.gov.uk

• Email: property.licensing@hackney.gov.uk

• Mail: Private Sector Housing Team, Hackney Service Centre, 1 Hillman Street, London, E8 1DY

8. Landlords, managing agents or tenants of properties within the Designated Area are advised to seek advice on whether their property is affected by the designation by contacting the Council’s Private Sector Housing Team.

9. Upon the designation coming into force any person having control of or who manages a HMO or who is the landlord or licensor in relation to a person occupying the HMO which is required to be licensed commits an offence if the HMO is not licensed, or if they knowingly permit another person to occupy the house, which results in the HMO being occupied by more households or persons than is authorised by the licence, and any licence holder or a person on whom restrictions or obligations under a licence are imposed and who fails to comply with any condition of the licence commits an offence. Such persons may be prosecuted and on summary conviction ordered to pay an unlimited fine or alternatively may be made subject to a financial penalty not exceeding £30,000. A failure to licence a HMO which is required to be licensed may also lead to an application for a rent repayment order under section 41 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016. Further, no notice under section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 notice may be given in respect of an assured shorthold tenancy of the whole or part of an unlicensed HMO so long as it remains unlicensed.

Signed:

Dated: 01 December 2025

Rickardo Hyatt, Group Director of Housing, Climate and Economy

London Borough of Hackney, 1 Hillman Street, London, E8 1DY

ANNEX - Additional (HMO) Licensing Designation Map