London HMO Licence Fees at Stake: Fire Safety Floor Plan Checklist & Official Council Links
With £700 to £1,650+ in non-refundable Part A council licence fees on the line, a rejected estate-agent sketch can stall your application or cost you a let bedroom. Here is the exact fire safety and room-size checklist London councils demand — with direct links to official borough portals.
London boroughs charge between £700 and £1,650+ for Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO, and Selective property licences — split into an upfront, non-refundable Part A application processing fee and a Part B enforcement fee. We have stepped in to help landlords whose applications were on the verge of rejection or bedroom down-rating because they uploaded an unscaled estate-agent plan. ZM Studio's experienced surveyors capture laser-accurate 2D floor plans on site (£94 flat rate) and offer an optional +£40 HMO & Licensing Safety Annotations add-on marking smoke/heat alarms, FD30S fire doors, emergency lighting, fire blankets, and escape routes.
In This Guide
- 1.What Is Actually at Stake: Part A & Part B Council Licence Fees
- 2.Real-World Rescue: Why Estate-Agent Sketches Trigger Council RFIs
- 3.HMO & Licensing Fire Safety Annotations (+£40 Option)
- 4.Official Government & London Borough Licensing Resources
What Is Actually at Stake: Part A & Part B Council Licence Fees
When you submit a Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO, or Selective Licence application in London, the council takes your Part A processing fee immediately (~£550 to £850+ depending on the borough). If your supporting floor plan is missing square metre (sq m) measurements, includes an en-suite pod inside a borderline bedroom, or omits fire escape details, the council can issue a formal Request for Further Information (RFI), reduce the maximum permitted occupants on your draft licence, or refuse the application outright while keeping your Part A fee.
| Borough | Typical HMO Licence Fee (Part A + B) | Selective Licence Fee | Article 4 HMO Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haringey (N4, N8, N10, N15, N17, N22) | ~£1,180 – £1,450+ | ~£650 – £700 | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
| Enfield (N18, N9, N13, N14, EN1, EN2) | ~£1,200 – £1,350+ | ~£650 – £750 | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
| Waltham Forest (E17, E10, E11) | ~£1,250 – £1,500+ | ~£700 – £800 | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
| Barnet (N2, N3, N12, N20, NW4, NW7, NW11) | ~£1,330 – £1,550+ | Targeted / HMO focus | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
| Camden (NW1, NW3, NW5, NW6, WC1) | ~£1,300 – £1,650+ | Additional HMO borough-wide | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
| Islington (N1, N4, N5, N7, N19, EC1) | ~£1,350 – £1,650+ | ~£750 – £800 | Article 4 in force |
| Hackney (E8, E9, E2, N16) | ~£950 – £1,400+ | ~£650 – £750 | Borough-wide Article 4 in force |
Real-World Rescue: Why Estate-Agent Sketches Trigger Council RFIs
We have repeatedly been called out by landlords and managing agents who received a 14-day council deadline warning that their HMO licence would be refused or capped at one fewer tenant unless a compliant, scaled metric floor plan was supplied. Our experienced surveyor conducts laser-accurate measurement on site (note: our plans are purpose-built for property marketing and council licensing compliance, not structural or architectural blueprints) to resolve the three things licensing officers reject most often:
- ●Net Usable Square Metres (sq m): Stripping out en-suite shower pods, built-in wardrobes, and chimney breasts so the council sees the true habitable sleeping area.
- ●The 1.5m Loft Headroom Line: Marking pitched dormer eaves where ceiling height drops below 1.5 metres (1,500mm) with a clear dashed exclusion zone.
- ●Shared Lounge vs Extra Bedroom Ratios: Proving both the bedroom sq m and communal kitchen/lounge sq m so you meet two-tier standards in boroughs like Camden, Islington, Haringey, and Waltham Forest.
HMO & Licensing Fire Safety Annotations (+£40 Option)
Many London councils and fire risk assessors require your licensing floor plan to show fire precautions alongside room dimensions. When you book a floor plan (£94 flat rate per property) and select our +£40 HMO & Licensing Safety Annotations add-on, our surveyor records and plots:
- ●Smoke & Heat Detectors: Interlinked Grade D / LD2 optical smoke alarms in bedrooms/hallways and heat detectors in kitchens.
- ●FD30 / FD30S Fire Doors: Self-closing fire doors and door-swing directions on all bedrooms, kitchens, and escape enclosures.
- ●Emergency Escape Lighting & Call Points: Emergency lighting units and break-glass call points on multi-storey staircases and landings.
- ●Fire Blankets, Extinguishers & Protected Escape Routes: Kitchen fire blankets, extinguishers, and thumb-turn final exit doors with a clear compliance symbol legend.
💡Always Check Directly With Your Local Council Before Submitting
Borough licensing schemes, ward designations, fee schedules, and fire safety conditions are updated periodically by each local authority. Use our borough guides as a practical preparation reference, and always verify current submission rules directly on your council's official licensing portal before paying your application fee.
Official Government & London Borough Licensing Resources
Always verify current fee bands, ward designations, and fire safety guidance directly on the official government and council portals below:
- Mayor of London — Property Licensing Checker (All 32 Boroughs) ↗Check whether your exact London postcode falls inside a Mandatory, Additional, or Selective Licensing zone.
- GOV.UK — Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Minimum Room Sizes & Statutory Guidance ↗Official statutory baseline (6.51 sq m single / 10.22 sq m double / 4.64 sq m child under 10).
- Haringey Council — Property Licensing Portal (N4, N6, N8, N10, N15, N17, N22) ↗
- Enfield Council — HMO & Selective Property Licensing (N18, N9, N13, N14, EN1, EN2) ↗
- Waltham Forest Council — Private Rented Property Licensing (E17, E10, E11) ↗
- Camden Council — HMO Licensing & Minimum Space Standards (NW1, NW3, NW5, NW6, WC1) ↗
- Islington Council — HMO Licensing & Standards (N1, N4, N5, N7, N19, EC1) ↗
- Barnet Council — Houses in Multiple Occupation (N2, N3, N12, N20, NW4, NW7, NW11) ↗
- Hackney Council — Property Licensing (E2, E8, E9, N16) ↗
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to add HMO fire safety symbols to my floor plan?
Adding HMO & Licensing Safety Annotations (smoke/heat alarms, FD30 fire doors, emergency lighting, fire blankets, and protected escape routes) is a flat +£40 on top of our £94 standalone floor plan rate, regardless of how many bedrooms the property has.
Are your HMO floor plans architectural drawings?
No. Our floor plans are measured by an experienced surveyor using laser-accurate measurement on site and drawn to scale for property marketing and council HMO/Selective licensing compliance — they are not structural or architectural blueprints.
Written by Zosim
Founder & Lead Property Photographer
Founder of ZM Studio, providing laser-accurate HMO & Selective Licensing floor plans on site across London with optional +£40 fire safety annotations.
Related HMO Licensing & Floor Plan Guides
London HMO & Selective Licensing Floor Plan Requirements (2026 Landlord Guide)
Everything London landlords and letting agents must include on a scaled floor plan for Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO, and Selective Licensing applications — plus how the Renters' Rights Act 2026 affects compliance.
HMO & LicensingHaringey Council HMO & Selective Licensing Floor Plan Guide (N4, N8, N10, N15, N17, N22)
How to prepare a compliant, laser-measured floor plan for Haringey Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO, and Selective Licensing applications in Wood Green, Tottenham, Crouch End, Hornsey, and Finsbury Park.
HMO & LicensingEnfield Council HMO & Selective Licensing Floor Plans (N18, N9, N13, N14, EN1, EN2)
Local landlord and agent guide to Enfield Council property licensing floor plans across Edmonton, Palmers Green, Southgate, Winchmore Hill, and Enfield Town.
HMO & LicensingWaltham Forest Selective & HMO Licensing Floor Plan Guide (E17, E10, E11)
How landlords and letting agents in Walthamstow (E17), Leyton (E10), and Leytonstone (E11) can get compliant laser-measured floor plans for Waltham Forest property licences.
HMO & LicensingCamden, Islington, Barnet & Hackney HMO Floor Plan Rules Compared (2026)
Why a 6.6 sq m bedroom passes in Hackney and Barnet but fails in Camden (7.1–9.0 sq m) and Islington (8.0 sq m) — a technical floor plan guide for North London landlords.
Need a council-ready floor plan for your HMO or property licence?
Request an on-site visit in about a minute. Fixed flat rate per property — human-measured on site with laser-accurate equipment, digitally drawn to scale in sq m & sq ft, and delivered the same day or the next day (with optional +£40 HMO fire safety annotations).