Newham vs Waltham Forest — Landlord Licensing Compared

Side-by-side comparison of selective and additional HMO licensing in Newham and Waltham Forest. Reference data from each council's own pages and GOV.UK.

East-London boroughs with long-running selective licensing history.

Newham (Greater London)

• Selective licensing: Designated areas only. Borough-wide selective licensing launched 1 June 2023, excluding Stratford Olympic Park and Royal Victoria wards.
• Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
• Council licensing page: https://www.newham.gov.uk/landlords-newham/rented-property-licensing/7
• Council HMO page: https://www.newham.gov.uk/landlords-newham/rented-property-licensing/9
• Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/newham

Waltham Forest (Greater London)

• Selective licensing: Designated areas only. New selective licensing designation approved by Secretary of State following 9 July 2024 cabinet decision.
• Additional HMO licensing: Status not yet verified. Not yet independently verified — check the council page.
• Council licensing page: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/private-rented-property-licensing-prpl/selective-licensing-scheme
• Council HMO page: https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/private-rented-property-licensing-prpl/how-much-does-property-licence-cost
• Full reference page: https://letsentry.co.uk/council/waltham-forest

Mandatory HMO licensing applies in both areas: any HMO occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households needs a licence anywhere in England.

Sources: - legislation.gov.uk — Housing Act 2004 — https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2004/34/contents - GOV.UK — House in multiple occupation (HMO) licence — https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

Last verified: 2026-06-28. Reference data only — always check each council's own page before applying.