Letting a property in Tower Hamlets: a landlord’s guide

General information as at October 2026, not legal advice. Always check the council’s current scheme before letting.

Landlord licensing in Tower Hamlets

• Selective licensing: No selective licensing scheme since the Weavers, Whitechapel and Spitalfields & Banglatown scheme ended on 30 September 2026; existing licences last until they expire, and the council says it is considering options for a new scheme.
• Additional HMO licensing: Additional licensing covers the whole borough for smaller HMOs, from 1 April 2024 until 31 March 2029.
• Fees: Additional HMO licence £1,323 online from 1 April 2026 (or Part A £618 and Part B £787.50 if split); mandatory HMO licence £977 plus £68.50 per habitable room online.

Separately, every large HMO (5 or more people forming 2 or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in England. Source: Tower Hamlets Council.

Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets homes

• High-rise towers at Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs: photograph integrated appliances, ventilation units, floor-to-ceiling glazing and balcony doors, and record fobs, keys and parking remotes.
• Ex-council flats on estates: photograph the front door, entry phone, communal landing and bin chute or store, and note which keys open communal doors.
• Converted warehouses in Wapping and Limehouse: photograph timber floors, exposed brick and large windows, where marks and condensation show.
• Georgian houses in Spitalfields: photograph shutters, sash windows, staircases and original panelling close up.
• Student and sharer lets near Mile End: photograph each bedroom lock and door, and the shared kitchen and bathroom, room by room.
• Note any concierge, parcel room or gym access and its fobs, and photograph the meter readings, which are often in a cupboard on the landing.

Start your inventory free

Homes sold in Tower Hamlets in the last 12 months

Type	Sales	Average price
Flat or maisonette	1,488	£471,122
Terraced	163	£859,086
Other	85	£1,952,380
Semi-detached	9	£762,778
Detached	1	£1,334,826

HM Land Registry Price Paid Data since 27 October 2025, updated monthly. Look up any address in the free property report.