Almost every privately rented house in Enfield now needs some kind of licence. HMOs of three or more sharers need one anywhere in the borough, and from September 2026 most ordinary lets in 17 wards do too. The licence is the part most landlords know about. The part that catches them out is what a licence application tells the council about planning.
November 2026 · Mustafa Bashkal · 7 min read
Last verified: 6 November 2026 against Enfield Council's licensing pages and GOV.UK.
Which licence do you need?
| Who lives there | Licence | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 5 or more people, from 2 or more households, sharing a kitchen or bathroom | Mandatory HMO licence | Everywhere in England |
| 3 or 4 people, from 2 or more households, sharing | Additional HMO licence | Borough-wide in Enfield, since 1 September 2025 |
| A single household, or 1 or 2 people, renting privately | Selective licence | 17 wards, since 1 September 2026 |
The selective scheme covers Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock, Haselbury, Jubilee, Lower Edmonton, Ponders End, Southbury, Upper Edmonton and Whitewebbs, plus New Southgate, Palmers Green, Southgate and Town. A property that needs an HMO licence does not also need a selective one.
"Household" is narrower than most people think. Under the Housing Act 2004 it generally means members of the same family. Three friends sharing are three households. A couple and a lodger are two.
What it costs
Enfield charges in two parts: Part 1 when you apply (not refundable) and Part 2 when the draft licence is issued.
| Licence | Part 1 | Part 2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO, up to 5 lettable rooms | £587 | £882 | £1,469 |
| Mandatory HMO, each extra room | added across both parts | +£165 | |
| Additional HMO (3 or 4 sharers) | £510 | £766 | £1,276 |
Check the selective licence fee on the council's site at the time you apply. Fees are set by the council and do change.
The standards your HMO has to meet
Every HMO licence carries national minimum room sizes, and Enfield adds its own amenity standards on top. The figures that most often decide what a house can hold:
| Room | 1 to 5 sharers | 6 to 10 sharers |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom, one adult (kitchen elsewhere) | 6.51 m² | |
| Bedroom, two adults (kitchen elsewhere) | 10.22 m² | |
| Shared kitchen | 6 m² | 11 m² |
| Kitchen/diner | 8.5 m² | 12.5 m² |
| Living or dining room | 8.5 m² | 12.5 m² |
One warning. These are licensing figures. Enfield's planning officers assess HMO bedrooms against the higher national space standard, 7.5 m² and 2.15 m wide for a single, and they look at whether the communal space genuinely works for the number of people. A house designed to the licensing minimum can be licensed and still be refused planning permission. We explain the planning side in HMO Planning Permission in Enfield.
A licence is not planning permission
This is the mistake that costs Enfield landlords the most, and the council is clear about it: issuing an HMO licence does not mean the property has the planning permission for that use.
Enfield has a borough-wide Article 4 direction. Changing a family house into an HMO for 3 to 6 people needs planning permission anywhere in the borough, and 7 or more needs it everywhere in England. So:
- A licence application is evidence. It tells the council, in writing, that the house is run as an HMO. If there is no planning permission behind it, that can lead to planning enforcement.
- Unauthorised HMOs get shorter licences. The council says that where the HMO use is not authorised it will usually grant a licence with a reduced term, typically two years, rather than the standard five.
- Planning is getting harder, not easier. Our own tracking of Enfield's HMO planning decisions shows more than half of recent applications refused. Applying for planning after a licence application has flagged the house is not the position you want to be in.
The right order is to deal with planning and licensing together: know whether the use is lawful, or can be made lawful, before the licence application goes in.
We prepare HMO licence applications in Enfield and check the planning position at the same time, so the licence does not create a problem the planning application then has to fix.
How the application works
- Check which licence applies, using the table above and the council's ward list.
- Gather the paperwork. Typically: a current gas safety certificate, an electrical installation condition report, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates where fitted, energy performance certificate, floor plans showing room sizes and uses, and details of the manager.
- Apply online and pay Part 1.
- Inspection. The council may inspect to check the house against its standards and the floor plans.
- Draft licence and Part 2. The draft sets out the maximum number of occupants and the conditions. Check it carefully: you can make representations before it is finalised.
- Comply with the conditions for the life of the licence, and renew around two months before it expires.
Floor plans matter more than most landlords expect. The occupancy limit on the licence is set from them, and so is any condition requiring works. Inaccurate plans cause delays, and an occupancy figure on a licence that does not match the planning position causes bigger problems later.
What happens if you don't licence
- Civil penalties of up to £40,000 per offence for failing to licence or breaching licence conditions, following the Renters' Rights Act 2025, in place of prosecution.
- Rent repayment orders requiring repayment of up to two years' rent to tenants or the council.
- A record with the council that follows the property into the planning and enforcement side.
Five common mistakes
- Treating the licence as permission to operate. It isn't. In Enfield, almost every HMO needs planning permission as well.
- Miscounting households. Three unrelated sharers is an HMO needing an additional licence; it is not a family let.
- Designing rooms to the licensing minimum when planning applies larger sizes.
- Letting before the licence is applied for. The offence runs from the date the property needed a licence, not from when the council finds out.
- Not checking the draft licence. The occupancy figure and conditions are hard to change once final.
Our take
Licensing in Enfield is now close to universal for rented homes, and the fees are the easy part. The real risk is treating licensing and planning as separate tasks. A licence application describes your house to the council in detail. Make sure that description matches a use that is lawful, or one you are about to make lawful, before you send it.
Related reading: HMO Planning Permission in Enfield · HMO enforcement is tightening · Certificate of Lawfulness (Existing Use) · HMO Conversion in London: the complete 2026 guide
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an HMO licence in Enfield?
If three or more people from two or more households share a kitchen or bathroom, yes. Five or more need a mandatory HMO licence; three or four need an additional HMO licence, which has applied across the whole borough since 1 September 2025.
How much is an HMO licence in Enfield?
A mandatory HMO licence is £1,469 for up to five lettable rooms, plus £165 for each extra room. An additional HMO licence is £1,276. Both are paid in two parts, the first on application and the second when the draft licence is issued.
Which areas of Enfield have selective licensing?
From 1 September 2026, 17 wards: Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock, Haselbury, Jubilee, Lower Edmonton, Ponders End, Southbury, Upper Edmonton, Whitewebbs, New Southgate, Palmers Green, Southgate and Town. It covers privately rented homes let to one household or one or two people.
Does an HMO licence give me planning permission?
No. Enfield states that an HMO licence does not mean the property has planning permission for that use. Because of the borough-wide Article 4 direction, converting a house to an HMO in Enfield needs planning permission.
What are the minimum room sizes for an HMO licence in Enfield?
6.51 m² for a bedroom used by one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults, where the kitchen is in a separate room. Shared kitchens must be at least 6 m² for up to five sharers and 11 m² for six to ten. Planning applies larger bedroom sizes.
What is the penalty for not licensing an HMO?
A civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence, and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Sources: Enfield Council, Private rented property licensing and Houses in multiple occupation pages (fees, schemes, wards, licence terms), checked 6 November 2026; Enfield HMO Standards (revised March 2021); Housing Act 2004, Parts 2 and 3; Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018; Renters' Rights Act 2025. General guidance only, not advice on a specific property. Verified 6 November 2026.
