DIY InventoryLetting a property in Havering: a landlord’s guide
Licensing, certificates, deposits and the local figures for landlords letting in Havering.
General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.
Landlord licensing in Havering
- Selective licensing: Selective licensing started on 18 March 2026 in seven of the borough's 20 wards: Beam Park, Harold Wood, Rainham and Wennington, Rush Green and Crowlands, Squirrels Heath, St Albans, and St Edwards. Licences run for up to five years.
- Additional HMO licensing: Borough-wide additional HMO licensing also started on 18 March 2026, for shared houses and flats with three or four people from two or more households.
Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Havering Council.
Havering Council: private renting and licensing
Safety certificates
- Gas Safety (CP12): every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- EICR: at least every 5 years, by a qualified electrician.
- EPC: rated E or above, valid for 10 years.
- Alarms: a smoke alarm on every storey, and a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance (not gas cookers).
Book a Gas Safety certificate, EICR or EPC in Havering at a fixed price, and keep track of expiry dates in the free landlord dashboard.
Deposits and the inventory
Protect the deposit in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits within 30 days. At the end, the scheme decides any dispute on the evidence, above all the check-in compared with the check-out, so the inventory is what protects you.
What to record in Havering homes
- Inter-war semis and terraces with gardens: photograph the lawn, fences, gates, sheds and any garage, as gardens are a common check-out dispute.
- Driveways and dropped kerbs: photograph the drive surface, any oil stains and the front wall at check-in.
- Former council houses in Harold Hill: photograph the boiler, radiators and windows, and any damp in bathrooms and bedrooms.
- Flats above shops in Romford: photograph the rear entrance, external stairs and bin area, and count the keys for every door.
- New-build homes at Beam Park and Rainham: photograph flooring joints, worktops and any snagging marks, and record parking-permit and fob details.
Homes sold in Havering in the last 12 months
| Type | Sales | Average price |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | 888 | £527,727 |
| Terraced | 702 | £438,522 |
| Flat or maisonette | 473 | £254,881 |
| Detached | 211 | £736,126 |
| Other | 58 | £845,680 |
HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.
Letting in Havering: questions
Is there selective licensing in Havering?
Selective licensing started on 18 March 2026 in seven of the borough's 20 wards: Beam Park, Harold Wood, Rainham and Wennington, Rush Green and Crowlands, Squirrels Heath, St Albans, and St Edwards. Licences run for up to five years. Check the council’s page before letting: schemes are renewed and changed every few years.
What certificates does a landlord need in Havering?
A Gas Safety certificate every 12 months (where there is gas), an electrical safety report (EICR) at least every 5 years, and a valid EPC rated E or above, plus working smoke alarms on every storey and carbon monoxide alarms by fixed combustion appliances.
How long do I have to protect a deposit?
30 days from receiving it, in the DPS, TDS or mydeposits, with the prescribed information given to the tenant in the same 30 days.
Do I need an inventory as a landlord in Havering?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but without a signed check-in record it is very hard to claim anything from the deposit at the end. With DIY Inventory you can do it yourself for £30, or send your tenant a link to do it.