Islington selective licensing 2026: A guide for renters

If you rent in Islington, there's a good chance your landlord's obligations just changed. In October 2025, the council confirmed a major expansion of its selective licensing scheme, bringing thousands more privately rented homes under regulation.

What is selective licensing?

Selective licensing requires landlords to obtain a licence for all privately rented properties in designated areas, regardless of how many people live there or whether they share facilities. It is different from HMO licensing, which focuses specifically on shared housing.

With selective licensing, even if you are renting a one-bedroom flat on your own, your landlord still needs a licence if the property falls within a designated area.

Which Islington wards require selective licensing?

The scheme originally covered just three wards. Following the October 2025 expansion, it now applies to 10 wards across the borough.

Original wards (since May 2024):

• Finsbury Park
• Hillrise
• Tollington

New wards (from October 2025):

• Barnsbury
• Caledonian
• Highbury
• Junction
• Laycock
• Mildmay
• Tufnell Park

The borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme, covering homes shared by three or four unrelated people, has also been renewed until 2031.

Why does selective licensing matter?

The scheme is designed to tackle poor housing conditions and rogue landlords by requiring properties to meet safety standards and proper management practices. For renters, it means stronger protections and clearer routes to hold landlords accountable when things go wrong.

The reality is that many landlords have not applied for licences yet. Some do not realise the scheme applies to their properties. Others know their homes do not meet the required standards and are hoping to avoid the costs of bringing them up to code. Either way, the responsibility for checking compliance often falls to renters.

With nearly a third of Islington's homes being privately rented, hundreds to thousands of properties are likely now illegally let.

What does this mean for renters in Islington?

If your landlord has not obtained the required licence, you have powerful legal protections.

You could claim rent back. You can apply for a Rent Repayment Order to claim back up to 12 months of rent. From 1 May 2026, the Renters' Rights Act will increase this to 24 months.

To put that in perspective, the median rent for a three-bedroom property in Islington is around £2,500 per month. For renters spending 30-40% of their income on housing, a successful Rent Repayment Order could return up to £60,000 and make a real difference.

How to check if your Islington rental property is licensed

If you live in any of the 10 designated wards, it is worth checking whether your landlord has the proper licence. Many have not applied.

You can search on Remedy's data app at data.remedylegal.ai to check your address. You can also get in touch at hello@remedylegal.ai and we will check for you.

You might be surprised how many landlords are not compliant.