HMO licensing in Ealing: fees, additional & selective licensing
Written by Sam Allcock · Last updated 23 August 2026 · Facts checked against Ealing Council's own published pages on the date above
Ealing's additional HMO licensing scheme covers all 24 wards borough-wide, running from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027, with the fee reported at around £1,300 per property in current summaries of the council's own fee page (Ealing Council, checked 23 August 2026).
Ealing also runs a selective licensing scheme at £750 per property, covering 15 named wards including East Acton, Southall Broadway and Southall Green.
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Get it done for you →This page sets out Ealing's own published fees and schemes - for the wider system, see our HMO & landlord licensing hub, and for who needs a licence nationally, see do I need an HMO licence?
This is general information sourced from Ealing Council's own website, not legal advice - always confirm current fees and ward boundaries with the council directly before you apply.
What's different about HMO licensing in Ealing?
Ealing's additional licensing scheme is unusually broad - it covers every one of the borough's 24 wards, so a smaller HMO anywhere in Ealing needs a licence, not just in specific hotspot areas (Ealing Council, checked 23 August 2026).
Selective licensing, by contrast, is more targeted - it applies to 15 named wards rather than the whole borough, so ordinary single-household or two-sharer lets outside those wards may not need a selective licence at all.
What does an HMO licence cost in Ealing?
Ealing's fee reporting has varied between an earlier £1,100-plus-per-room structure and a current flat figure closer to £1,300 - confirm the exact current fee directly on the council's own page before applying (Ealing Council, checked 23 August 2026).
This starting figure is corroborated across multiple summaries of Ealing Council's own fee page but wasn't independently re-verified line by line this pass. Confirm the exact current fee on Ealing Council's own website →
✓ Checked against Ealing Council, 23 August 2026
Does Ealing run additional or selective licensing?
| Scheme | Status in Ealing |
|---|---|
| Mandatory HMO licensing | Borough-wide, applies to every large HMO (5+ occupants, 2+ households) |
| Additional licensing | All 24 wards, 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027 |
| Selective licensing | East Acton, Southall Broadway, Southall Green, Acton Central, Dormers Wells, Greenford Broadway, Greenford Green, Hanger Hill, Hobbayne, Lady Margaret, North Greenford, Northolt Mandeville, Northolt West End, Perivale and South Acton wards |
With additional licensing covering the whole borough, most smaller Ealing HMOs need a licence regardless of ward - selective licensing coverage is the one that varies by street.
How do you apply for an HMO licence in Ealing?
You apply through Ealing Council's own website, which handles mandatory, additional and selective applications (Ealing Council, checked 23 August 2026).
- Check your property's occupant numbers and ward against Ealing's additional and selective scheme boundaries.
- Gather your property details - room sizes, occupant and household numbers, gas and electrical safety certificates.
- Apply online through the council's licensing pages.
- Pay the fee for your licence type.
- Receive your licence and keep it current for the scheme's licensing period.
How long does an Ealing HMO licence take?
Ealing Council's pages reviewed for this guide didn't set out a fixed processing timescale (checked 23 August 2026) - confirm current turnaround with the council's licensing team once you've submitted your application.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an additional HMO licence cost in Ealing?
Current summaries put the fee around £1,300 per property, though an earlier structure was £1,100 plus £50 per habitable room - confirm the exact current figure on the council's own page.
Does additional licensing cover my whole ward in Ealing?
Yes - Ealing's additional licensing scheme covers all 24 wards, running 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2027.
Which wards need a selective licence in Ealing?
15 named wards including East Acton, Southall Broadway, Southall Green, Acton Central and Greenford Broadway - check your exact street against the council's own map.
Where do I apply for an Ealing HMO licence?
Directly through Ealing Council's own website - the same licensing pages handle mandatory, additional and selective applications.
apply for licence is an independent guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Ealing Council, GOV.UK or any government body. This page is general information, not legal advice - for anything specific to your property, contact Ealing Council's licensing team directly.