Private rented accommodation

Date updated: 21/09/2023

Housing

Rented accommodation should be healthy and safe to live in. We might be able to help where there are housing conditions that are unhealthy or may cause a serious accident.

If you are a tenant

If the City of London is your landlord, or if you would like to be a tenant of City of London property, then please visit the housing page for details of all our housing services.

We may be able to help if you live in other rented accommodation where there are housing conditions that are unhealthy or may cause a serious accident. Sometimes a property is in disrepair, or may have defects like dampness, or could be very difficult to keep warm.

If you feel that there are problems, your first contact should be your landlord or letting agent. If they are unable or unwilling to help, we may be able to assist.

Similarly if you are experiencing problems with shared accommodation or require information about HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing, please contact the Environmental Health team.

Damp and mould in your home PDF (616KB)

Advice on how to deal with damp and mould and who you should contact

Date submitted: 20/09/23

The Housing Acts, Environmental Protection Act, Public Health Act, and Building Act are to help ensure that housing is safe and reasonable to occupy.

If you are a landlord

In the City of London, properties with five or more tenants belonging to two or more households are required by law to be licensed.

A license will be granted if the following criteria are satisfied:

The proposed license holder (which can be the landlord or managing agent) are fit and proper people.
The property and the tenancy are managed appropriately.
The accommodation meets all the minimum standards, eg sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents.

Licenses will be issued with certain conditions attached.

If after investigation of the details in the application form it is found that the premises falls outside the mandatory licensing provisions you will be notified and no charge made. If the premises falls within the mandatory licensing provisions a fee charged at full cost recovery (made payable to City of London Corporation) will be required.

It is a criminal offence to operate a house in multiple occupation without a licence and a fine of £20,000 may be imposed together with other measures allowed within the legislation.

Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation Part 2, Housing Act 2004 – Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Descriptions) (England) Order 2006 legislation came into force on the 6 April 2006.

Guidance notes are available from GOV.UK.

To register your building or to report a complaint or problem, please call us on 020 7606 3030, or email Environmental Health team.