Check if an HMO is licensed
You can check whether an HMO in Royal Greenwich has a licence.
Search the landlord licence public register to check if an HMO is licensed.
If you cannot find the property on the register and think it is being used as an HMO without a licence, you can report it to us.
Report an unlicensed HMO
Most HMOs in Royal Greenwich must have a licence.
If you think a property is being used as an HMO without the required licence, you can report it to us. We will investigate your report.
How we investigate reports about unlicensed HMOs
We investigate reports of suspected unlicensed HMOs based on risk.
We give priority to:
- larger HMOs that require Mandatory HMO Licensing
- properties where there is evidence of other offences
- properties where other concerns have been reported
We may need to gather evidence that the property is being used as an HMO and requires a licence before we can take enforcement action.
If an HMO has been operating for more than 10 years, it will not need a planning consent and is thereore immune from planning enforcement action.
What happens if an HMO is operating without a licence
It is an offence to operate an HMO without a licence where one is required.
We need sufficient evidence to establish that a property is operating as an unlicensed HMO before we can take enforcement action.
Where we can prove the offence to the required criminal standard, we will generally take enforcement action.
A financial penalty of up to £40,000 can be imposed for operating an unlicensed HMO.