Islington council in north London – where ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is an MP – is to significantly expand its selective licensing scheme.

It currently applies to Finsbury Park, Hillrise and Tollington wards, but will be extended to seven more wards: Barnsbury, Caledonian, Tufnell Park, Mildmay, Highbury, Junction and, Laycock.   

Furthermore, the borough-wide additional House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing scheme – covering homes shared by three or four unrelated people – will be renewed beyond its February 2026 expiry until 2031. 

This expansion will bring thousands more privately rented homes under regulation.

Nearly a third of homes in Islington are privately rented, and the council says it “is committed to standing alongside renters who too often face poor conditions and rising rents.”

A spokesperson adds: “Everyone in Islington deserves a decent, safe and genuinely affordable place to live. We’ve listened to residents, landlords and housing campaigners and we’re taking action. 

“While many landlords in Islington act responsibly and maintain their properties well, we continue to hear from hundreds of renters who feel unsafe and unheard, while their rents keep rising. This new scheme is about giving renters the protection they need—and the quality housing they deserve.” 

During the public consultation before the licensing was confirmed, the council received 1,081 responses.