Ealing Council's additional HMO licensing scheme
Ealing Council is currently reviewing the effectiveness of its additional HMO licensing scheme, focusing on property hazards and unlicensed properties.
Ealing Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee recently reviewed the effectiveness of its additional Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing scheme. The committee heard that 4,101 HMOs are currently licensed, with an estimated 340 additional unlicensed properties. A report highlighted 4,890 identified hazards across known HMOs, with fire safety being the most prevalent issue.
The report to the committee also noted a 64.7% failure rate for mandatory HMOs and 72.2% for additional HMOs during inspections. The committee discussed the management of Houses in Multiple Occupation on October 22, 2026. Ealing Council's additional HMO licensing scheme is a five-year borough-wide initiative to regulate smaller HMOs.
Key facts
- Ealing currently has 4,101 licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Source
- An estimated 340 additional unlicensed HMO properties exist in Ealing. Source
- 4,890 hazards have been identified across known HMOs in Ealing. Source
- Fire safety is the most prevalent hazard identified in HMO inspections. Source
- The failure rate for mandatory HMOs is 64.7%, and 72.2% for additional HMOs. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 23 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.