Ealing has 3,789 licensed HMOs as council prepares 2027 decision

Ealing Council has presented councillors with its latest picture of houses in multiple occupation, or HMOs. According to a report considered by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 22 October, the borough had 3,789 licensed HMOs in August 2026. That was 1,043 properties, or 38 per cent, more than in October 2023. The document stresses, however, that most of the recorded growth occurred before 2026; the total rose by 12 between April and August this year.

An HMO is broadly a property occupied by people forming more than one household who share facilities. Planning and housing definitions are not identical. Planning permission and an HMO licence are separate requirements, so approval under one system does not automatically provide approval under the other.

The report shows why checks on housing conditions matter. Licensed HMOs accommodated 24,705 people in 20,114 households. Across the inspection period covered, officers identified 4,890 hazards, with hazards recorded in 66 per cent of inspected properties. Modelling indicated that 1,378 known HMOs may contain at least one serious home hazard. The inspection failure rate was 64.7 per cent for mandatorily licensed HMOs and 72.2 per cent for HMOs covered by the additional scheme.

Between April 2021 and April 2026, 3,649 anti-social behaviour incidents were recorded at known HMO properties. These included 2,004 waste-related reports and 767 noise incidents. Since April 2025, the council has issued 28 civil penalties for unlicensed HMOs, while 56 properties became licensed following intervention. The figures cover the whole borough and do not mean every HMO causes problems. The report itself notes that many operate without adverse effects on their neighbourhoods and provide comparatively affordable accommodation.

The current additional licensing scheme expires on 31 March 2027. The council has consulted on a replacement borough-wide scheme for a further five years from April 2027. The consultation ran from July to September and received more than 650 responses. The proposal would continue to cover smaller HMOs and focus on fire safety, overcrowding, disrepair, waste, anti-social behaviour and effective management.

This is not yet an approved policy. The scrutiny committee was asked to examine the report and note the work under way. Consultation responses must be analysed, and a separate Cabinet decision will determine whether a new licensing scheme proceeds. The council also plans to update its planning guidance, taking account of issues including HMO concentration, living conditions, privacy, refuse storage, transport and the cumulative effect on an area.

For residents and landlords, the practical point is that the rules currently in force remain unchanged for now. Any new licensing scheme would depend on the further decision-making process, while individual planning and licensing cases will continue to be assessed under their separate legal tests.