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Research

The council league table: dangerous rented homes and HMO licensing

What every council in England found when it inspected privately rented homes in 2024-25, measured against the number of rented homes, and how much of the HMO licensing gap each has closed.

Last updated 17 October 2026

Rented homes found with a Category 1 hazard

19,274

England, 2024-25

Typical council, per 1,000 rented homes

1.6

28 councils found none

HMOs needing a licence that have one

71%

About 38,522 without

Councils that gave no hazard figure

18

of 296 in England

What this shows. These are the hazards councils found, which depends on how many homes they inspect, so a low figure is not proof of safer homes. The government data does not include improvement notices, fines or prosecutions. England only: Welsh councils are not included.

Find your council

BlackpoolNewhamCity of LondonFolkestone and HytheKingston upon Hull, City ofMiddlesbroughWirralBrentAshfieldRotherhamBexleyMansfieldHyndburnPlymouthCalderdaleIpswichLeedsOldhamStoke-on-TrentBlackburn with DarwenOadby and WigstonWestminsterTendringBoltonNorth WarwickshireWaltham ForestPeterboroughTandridgeHartlepoolDarlingtonSouth DerbyshireCamdenLancasterSt. HelensRedditchOxfordEnfieldPortsmouthDoncasterGedlingRedbridgeKirkleesNottinghamChorleyNorth LincolnshireSalfordThanetWolverhamptonSeftonTorbayNorth East LincolnshireBradfordBromsgroveRochdaleWest LindseyNewcastle-under-LymeRutlandMaldonEast StaffordshireNorth YorkshireTamworthSheffieldMid DevonEastleighStockton-on-TeesBristol, City ofNorth SomersetSouthwarkTorridgeGreat YarmouthMilton KeynesWatfordCharnwoodDerbyPendleCumberlandFyldeWestmorland and FurnessGatesheadSolihullLiverpoolNorth NorfolkTunbridge WellsBroadlandEast DevonEast Riding of YorkshireIslingtonManchesterCoventryCornwallDartfordColchesterNew ForestSouthamptonStaffordshire MoorlandsBedfordMedwaySouth TynesideWyre ForestBarking and DagenhamBroxtoweSouthend-on-SeaThree RiversHastingsReadingRunnymedeWiganWyreBarnetEpping ForestIsle of WightLeicesterNorth DevonReigate and BansteadRotherYorkHammersmith and FulhamHerefordshire, County ofMalvern HillsBath and North East SomersetDoverDudleyWealdenArunBasingstoke and DeaneChelmsfordLichfieldSouth GloucestershireTeignbridgeBolsoverBrecklandCheshire EastChesterfieldErewashKnowsleyCanterburyCounty DurhamFenlandGreenwichSloughWalsallBaberghCastle PointGraveshamLewesNorth East DerbyshireRossendaleSunderlandTonbridge and MallingBuryEalingEast HertfordshireHinckley and BosworthNewark and SherwoodRedcar and ClevelandSandwellSomersetSouth NorfolkWest NorthamptonshireCheshire West and ChesterKing's Lynn and West NorfolkMid SuffolkMole ValleyShropshireWandsworthBirminghamGloucesterNorth NorthamptonshireSouth KestevenWindsor and MaidenheadBassetlawBroxbourneCentral BedfordshireKingston upon ThamesVale of White HorseWest OxfordshireBarnsleyBournemouth, Christchurch and PooleCambridgeCannock ChaseDacorumElmbridgeGuildfordHaltonNorth TynesideRushcliffeWest SuffolkBraintreeDorsetHavantLewishamLutonNorth KestevenSouth OxfordshireStevenageWokingWorcesterBostonHillingdonRichmond upon ThamesSuttonTower HamletsAshfordBuckinghamshireCheltenhamEast LindseyEast SuffolkEastbourneHorshamMid SussexWarwickEpsom and EwellHigh PeakRushmoorSouth HollandUttlesfordAdurBasildonNorwichNuneaton and BedworthSevenoaksStratford-on-AvonSwindonTamesideTest ValleyTraffordWorthingBracknell ForestDerbyshire DalesRugbySouth StaffordshireSpelthorneWest LancashireFarehamHertsmereLambethMeltonWychavonBrighton and HoveCrawleyKensington and ChelseaNorth West LeicestershireSt AlbansSurrey HeathSwaleWiltshireHaveringHuntingdonshireWinchesterAmber ValleyBlabyBurnleyCherwellChichesterCotswoldEast CambridgeshireEast HampshireForest of DeanHarboroughHartMaidstoneMertonNorth HertfordshirePrestonRibble ValleyRochfordSouth HamsSouth RibbleStaffordStockportTelford and WrekinTewkesburyWakefieldWarringtonWaverleyWest DevonWokinghamThurrockWest BerkshireIsles of ScillyNorthumberlandSouth CambridgeshireExeterBrentwoodHarlowStroudGosportLincolnWelwyn HatfieldNewcastle upon TyneBromleyCroydonHackneyHaringeyHarrowHounslowIsle of AngleseyGwyneddConwyDenbighshireFlintshireWrexhamCeredigionPembrokeshireCarmarthenshireSwanseaNeath Port TalbotBridgendVale of GlamorganCardiffRhondda Cynon TafCaerphillyBlaenau GwentTorfaenMonmouthshireNewportPowysMerthyr Tydfil NewhamCity of LondonBrentBexleyWestminsterWaltham ForestCamdenEnfieldRedbridgeSouthwarkIslingtonBarking and DagenhamBarnetHammersmith and FulhamGreenwichEalingWandsworthKingston upon ThamesLewishamHillingdonRichmond upon ThamesSuttonTower HamletsLambethKensington and ChelseaHaveringMertonBromleyCroydonHackneyHaringeyHarrowHounslow London
Lower Higher No figure or Wales Each band is a fifth of the councils with a figure

What the figures show

19,274

privately rented homes in England were found to have a Category 1 hazard, the most serious kind, when councils inspected them in 2024-25. 278 councils reported a figure.

3,768

homes found with Category 1 hazards in Blackpool, 20% of England's total and 5 times its figure a year earlier. Without Blackpool, the England total fell 11% on 2023-24.

1.6

homes with Category 1 hazards found per 1,000 privately rented homes in the typical council. The highest rates, after Blackpool, are Newham (22.9), City of London (18.1), Folkestone and Hythe (18.1).

28 councils

found no privately rented homes with a Category 1 hazard in 2024-25, and 18 gave no figure. A low figure can mean few inspections rather than safer homes.

71%

of HMOs that councils estimate need a mandatory licence have one: 93,724 of 132,246, leaving about 38,522 without, across the 283 councils that gave both figures.

34 councils

have licensed fewer than half the HMOs they estimate need a licence. Lowest: Hackney (12%, 121 of 1,050), Sevenoaks (12%, 22 of 187), Central Bedfordshire (12%, 71 of 594).

By region

RegionHomes found with hazardsPer 1,000 rented homesHMOs licensedCouncils reporting
North West 6,111 10.1 80% 35 of 35
Yorkshire and The Humber 2,999 6.6 76% 15 of 15
London 3,863 4.6 58% 27 of 33
North East 596 4.0 74% 10 of 12
East Midlands 1,077 2.9 82% 34 of 35
South West 1,159 2.5 82% 24 of 27
West Midlands 1,046 2.4 65% 30 of 30
East of England 986 2.2 67% 40 of 45
South East 1,437 2.0 76% 62 of 64

Rates use only the councils that gave a figure. Blackpool lifts the North West figure.

Every council in England

Ranked by homes found with hazards per 1,000 rented homes. Click a column to sort, or a row to see it on the map.

CSV
Notes
1 Blackpool North West 3,768 183.2 70 70 100% Big change, Estimated
2 Newham London 1,018 22.9 1,700 1,678 99%
3 City of London London 43 18.1 20 6 30%
4 Folkestone and Hythe South East 197 18.1 312 63 20%
5 Kingston upon Hull, City of Yorkshire and The Humber 470 17.0 1,000 338 34%
6 Middlesbrough North East 215 17.0 300 272 91%
7 Wirral North West 393 14.5 252 236 94%
8 Brent London 603 14.1 3,735 2,487 67% Big change
9 Ashfield East Midlands 130 14.0 135 129 96%
10 Rotherham Yorkshire and The Humber 231 13.6 70 62 89%
11 Bexley London 195 13.4 383 254 66%
12 Mansfield East Midlands 118 13.0 200 162 81%
13 Hyndburn North West 102 12.7 83 56 68%
14 Plymouth South West 317 12.2 1,400 1,295 93%
15 Calderdale Yorkshire and The Humber 207 11.2 100 21 21%
16 Ipswich East of England 147 10.8 218 215 99% Estimated
17 Leeds Yorkshire and The Humber 806 10.8 3,500 2,938 84%
18 Oldham North West 177 10.7 118 70 59%
19 Stoke-on-Trent West Midlands 239 10.7 500 419 84%
20 Blackburn with Darwen North West 117 9.9 45 45 100%
21 Oadby and Wigston East Midlands 33 9.1 12 8 67%
22 Westminster London 358 8.7 350 287 82%
23 Tendring East of England 112 8.4 39 31 80% Big change
24 Bolton North West 178 8.3 195 190 97%
25 North Warwickshire West Midlands 33 8.0 23 23 100%
26 Waltham Forest London 230 8.0 1,000 413 41%
27 Peterborough East of England 163 7.9 750 559 75%
28 Tandridge South East 36 7.6 36 36 100%
29 Hartlepool North East 54 7.5 60 60 100%
30 Darlington North East 75 7.4 70 50 71%
31 South Derbyshire East Midlands 47 7.1 25 19 76%
32 Camden London 223 6.8 600 316 53%
33 Lancaster North West 89 6.8 580 550 95%
34 St. Helens North West 84 6.8 108 108 100%
35 Redditch West Midlands 35 6.7 190 125 66%
36 Oxford South East 118 6.6 1,797 1,797 100%
37 Enfield London 223 6.3 1,500 656 44%
38 Portsmouth South East 155 6.3 1,300 1,194 92%
39 Doncaster Yorkshire and The Humber 161 6.2 480 480 100%
40 Gedling East Midlands 50 6.1 67 53 79%
41 Redbridge London 187 5.9 1,330 998 75%
42 Kirklees Yorkshire and The Humber 198 5.8 320 268 84%
43 Nottingham East Midlands 206 5.8 2,832 2,712 96%
44 Chorley North West 40 5.7 20 19 95%
45 North Lincolnshire Yorkshire and The Humber 70 5.6 54 23 43%
46 Salford North West 174 5.6 744 645 87%
47 Thanet South East 92 5.6 100 83 83%
48 Wolverhampton West Midlands 111 5.5 651 215 33%
49 Sefton North West 115 5.1 250 185 74%
50 Torbay South West 84 5.0 138 138 100%
51 North East Lincolnshire Yorkshire and The Humber 76 4.9 250 175 70%
52 Bradford Yorkshire and The Humber 233 4.8 402 352 88%
53 Bromsgrove West Midlands 21 4.8 40 23 58%
54 Rochdale North West 80 4.8 51 48 94%
55 West Lindsey East Midlands 36 4.8 20 14 70%
56 Newcastle-under-Lyme West Midlands 36 4.7 212 193 91%
57 Rutland East Midlands 13 4.7 5 0 0%
58 Maldon East of England 15 4.6 50 6 12%
59 East Staffordshire West Midlands 45 4.5 126 115 91%
60 North Yorkshire Yorkshire and The Humber 229 4.5 265 262 99%
61 Tamworth West Midlands 21 4.5 64 55 86%
62 Sheffield Yorkshire and The Humber 185 4.3 2,200 1,508 69% Not signed off
63 Mid Devon South West 27 4.1 30 18 60%
64 Eastleigh South East 32 4.0 93 93 100%
65 Stockton-on-Tees North East 57 4.0 89 89 100%
66 Bristol, City of South West 195 3.9 5,300 3,668 69%
67 North Somerset South West 68 3.9 175 163 93%
68 Southwark London 148 3.9 900 669 74% Not signed off
69 Torridge South West 24 3.9 25 15 60%
70 Great Yarmouth East of England 36 3.8 227 73 32%
71 Milton Keynes South East 90 3.8 512 512 100%
72 Watford East of England 43 3.8 311 294 95%
73 Charnwood East Midlands 47 3.7 839 839 100%
74 Derby East Midlands 83 3.7 750 704 94%
75 Pendle North West 32 3.7 50 26 52% Estimated
76 Cumberland North West 63 3.6 236 220 93%
77 Fylde North West 26 3.6 22 19 86%
78 Westmorland and Furness North West 64 3.6 300 263 88%
79 Gateshead North East 51 3.5 127 101 80%
80 Solihull West Midlands 40 3.5 100 95 95%
81 Liverpool North West 174 3.2 2,882 2,393 83%
82 North Norfolk East of England 27 3.2 18 15 83%
83 Tunbridge Wells South East 30 3.2 75 57 76%
84 Broadland East of England 22 3.1 45 23 51%
85 East Devon South West 32 3.0 45 43 96%
86 East Riding of Yorkshire Yorkshire and The Humber 76 3.0 100 80 80%
87 Islington London 89 3.0 580 573 99%
88 Manchester North West 211 3.0 3,500 2,291 66% Big change
89 Coventry West Midlands 96 2.9 2,500 1,620 65%
90 Cornwall South West 136 2.8 750 602 80%
91 Dartford South East 22 2.7 141 72 51%
92 Colchester East of England 45 2.6 550 374 68%
93 New Forest South East 29 2.6 60 32 53%
94 Southampton South East 78 2.6 2,300 2,115 92%
95 Staffordshire Moorlands West Midlands 14 2.6 5 5 100% Estimated
96 Bedford East of England 36 2.5 397 395 100%
97 Medway South East 56 2.5 400 248 62%
98 South Tyneside North East 23 2.5 78 58 74%
99 Wyre Forest West Midlands 18 2.5 44 30 68%
100 Barking and Dagenham London 43 2.4 320 138 43%
101 Broxtowe East Midlands 20 2.4 354 313 88%
102 Southend-on-Sea East of England 49 2.4 750 260 35%
103 Three Rivers East of England 12 2.4 25 14 56%
104 Hastings South East 27 2.3 85 85 100%
105 Reading South East 50 2.3 n/a 1,193 n/a
106 Runnymede South East 15 2.3 471 410 87%
107 Wigan North West 53 2.3 200 192 96%
108 Wyre North West 21 2.3 72 70 97%
109 Barnet London 105 2.2 2,181 730 34%
110 Epping Forest East of England 18 2.2 70 67 96%
111 Isle of Wight South East 29 2.2 66 57 86%
112 Leicester East Midlands 84 2.2 2,249 1,100 49%
113 North Devon South West 19 2.2 290 58 20%
114 Reigate and Banstead South East 21 2.2 110 96 87%
115 Rother South East 15 2.2 25 25 100% Estimated
116 York Yorkshire and The Humber 38 2.2 1,200 1,154 96%
117 Hammersmith and Fulham London 62 2.1 700 677 97%
118 Herefordshire, County of West Midlands 32 2.1 550 110 20%
119 Malvern Hills West Midlands 10 2.1 n/a 12 n/a Estimated
120 Bath and North East Somerset South West 31 2.0 1,138 1,115 98%
121 Dover South East 19 2.0 85 73 86%
122 Dudley West Midlands 37 2.0 300 185 62%
123 Wealden South East 18 2.0 22 9 41%
124 Arun South East 25 1.9 391 184 47%
125 Basingstoke and Deane South East 22 1.9 91 83 91%
126 Chelmsford East of England 22 1.9 255 225 88%
127 Lichfield West Midlands 11 1.9 10 10 100%
128 South Gloucestershire South West 35 1.9 813 796 98%
129 Teignbridge South West 20 1.9 37 35 95%
130 Bolsover East Midlands 11 1.8 22 20 91%
131 Breckland East of England 19 1.7 150 59 39%
132 Cheshire East North West 47 1.7 259 259 100%
133 Chesterfield East Midlands 13 1.7 53 44 83%
134 Erewash East Midlands 14 1.7 69 56 81%
135 Knowsley North West 16 1.7 21 2 10%
136 Canterbury South East 22 1.6 1,110 719 65%
137 County Durham North East 65 1.6 980 965 99%
138 Fenland East of England 14 1.6 90 90 100%
139 Greenwich London 47 1.6 1,000 365 37%
140 Slough South East 26 1.6 1,500 383 26%
141 Walsall West Midlands 29 1.6 160 142 89%
142 Babergh East of England 9 1.5 23 23 100%
143 Castle Point East of England 8 1.5 16 16 100%
144 Gravesham South East 12 1.5 240 90 38%
145 Lewes South East 11 1.5 25 15 60%
146 North East Derbyshire East Midlands 7 1.5 2 2 100%
147 Rossendale North West 8 1.5 30 30 100%
148 Sunderland North East 27 1.5 194 194 100% Not signed off
149 Tonbridge and Malling South East 10 1.5 33 27 82%
150 Bury North West 20 1.4 160 141 88%
151 Ealing London 64 1.4 3,429 1,715 50%
152 East Hertfordshire East of England 14 1.4 150 110 73%
153 Hinckley and Bosworth East Midlands 10 1.4 31 24 77%
154 Newark and Sherwood East Midlands 12 1.4 156 54 35% Estimated
155 Redcar and Cleveland North East 14 1.4 41 32 78%
156 Sandwell West Midlands 33 1.4 300 189 63%
157 Somerset South West 60 1.4 500 467 93%
158 South Norfolk East of England 12 1.4 32 24 75%
159 West Northamptonshire East Midlands 46 1.4 1,000 814 81% Estimated
160 Cheshire West and Chester North West 31 1.3 690 529 77%
161 King's Lynn and West Norfolk East of England 16 1.3 84 74 88%
162 Mid Suffolk East of England 8 1.3 7 7 100%
163 Mole Valley South East 7 1.3 15 15 100%
164 Shropshire West Midlands 31 1.3 80 61 76%
165 Wandsworth London 65 1.3 600 550 92%
166 Birmingham West Midlands 114 1.2 4,000 2,437 61%
167 Gloucester South West 14 1.2 312 286 92%
168 North Northamptonshire East Midlands 34 1.2 504 459 91% Estimated
169 South Kesteven East Midlands 14 1.2 65 56 86%
170 Windsor and Maidenhead South East 15 1.2 126 110 87%
171 Bassetlaw East Midlands 9 1.1 67 67 100%
172 Broxbourne East of England 7 1.1 63 63 100%
173 Central Bedfordshire East of England 19 1.1 594 71 12%
174 Kingston upon Thames London 19 1.1 500 406 81%
175 Vale of White Horse South East 10 1.1 87 76 87%
176 West Oxfordshire South East 9 1.1 n/a 34 n/a
177 Barnsley Yorkshire and The Humber 19 1.0 196 192 98%
178 Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole South West 45 1.0 1,649 1,435 87%
179 Cambridge East of England 17 1.0 1,450 851 59%
180 Cannock Chase West Midlands 7 1.0 35 33 94%
181 Dacorum East of England 9 1.0 240 133 55%
182 Elmbridge South East 10 1.0 80 75 94%
183 Guildford South East 11 1.0 700 690 99%
184 Halton North West 8 1.0 126 126 100%
185 North Tyneside North East 15 1.0 30 24 80%
186 Rushcliffe East Midlands 7 1.0 210 198 94%
187 West Suffolk East of England 18 1.0 115 112 97%
188 Braintree East of England 9 0.9 177 36 20%
189 Dorset South West 25 0.9 110 89 81%
190 Havant South East 6 0.9 30 19 63%
191 Lewisham London 31 0.9 1,000 536 54%
192 Luton East of England 20 0.9 705 233 33%
193 North Kesteven East Midlands 7 0.9 7 7 100%
194 South Oxfordshire South East 9 0.9 58 54 93%
195 Stevenage East of England 5 0.9 235 223 95%
196 Woking South East 8 0.9 100 97 97%
197 Worcester West Midlands 9 0.9 722 458 63%
198 Boston East Midlands 5 0.8 150 97 65%
199 Hillingdon London 22 0.8 1,500 753 50% Estimated
200 Richmond upon Thames London 15 0.8 100 85 85%
201 Sutton London 14 0.8 250 210 84%
202 Tower Hamlets London 38 0.8 924 765 83%
203 Ashford South East 7 0.7 200 184 92%
204 Buckinghamshire South East 23 0.7 1,215 398 33%
205 Cheltenham South West 9 0.7 387 387 100%
206 East Lindsey East Midlands 9 0.7 65 59 91%
207 East Suffolk East of England 14 0.7 41 35 85%
208 Eastbourne South East 9 0.7 350 337 96%
209 Horsham South East 6 0.7 55 19 35%
210 Mid Sussex South East 7 0.7 60 51 85%
211 Warwick West Midlands 8 0.7 595 590 99%
212 Epsom and Ewell South East 3 0.6 120 92 77%
213 High Peak East Midlands 4 0.6 40 40 100% Estimated
214 Rushmoor South East 5 0.6 241 229 95%
215 South Holland East Midlands 4 0.6 89 89 100%
216 Uttlesford East of England 3 0.6 31 24 77%
217 Adur South East 2 0.5 35 21 60%
218 Basildon East of England 5 0.5 297 274 92% Estimated
219 Norwich East of England 8 0.5 1,100 994 90%
220 Nuneaton and Bedworth West Midlands 5 0.5 47 47 100%
221 Sevenoaks South East 3 0.5 187 22 12%
222 Stratford-on-Avon West Midlands 4 0.5 n/a 55 n/a
223 Swindon South West 10 0.5 450 387 86%
224 Tameside North West 9 0.5 200 181 91%
225 Test Valley South East 4 0.5 100 50 50%
226 Trafford North West 8 0.5 84 79 94%
227 Worthing South East 5 0.5 250 175 70%
228 Bracknell Forest South East 3 0.4 210 139 66%
229 Derbyshire Dales East Midlands 2 0.4 3 3 100%
230 Rugby West Midlands 3 0.4 243 229 94%
231 South Staffordshire West Midlands 2 0.4 2 2 100%
232 Spelthorne South East 3 0.4 350 150 43%
233 West Lancashire North West 3 0.4 280 258 92%
234 Fareham South East 2 0.3 24 24 100%
235 Hertsmere East of England 2 0.3 216 166 77%
236 Lambeth London 14 0.3 1,300 850 65%
237 Melton East Midlands 1 0.3 13 13 100%
238 Wychavon West Midlands 2 0.3 n/a 60 n/a
239 Brighton and Hove South East 7 0.2 2,065 1,891 92%
240 Crawley South East 2 0.2 300 269 90%
241 Kensington and Chelsea London 5 0.2 900 166 18%
242 North West Leicestershire East Midlands 1 0.2 84 84 100%
243 St Albans East of England 2 0.2 75 67 89%
244 Surrey Heath South East 1 0.2 85 78 92%
245 Swale South East 2 0.2 60 43 72%
246 Wiltshire South West 8 0.2 144 144 100%
247 Havering London 2 0.1 261 261 100%
248 Huntingdonshire East of England 1 0.1 150 39 26%
249 Winchester South East 1 0.1 316 316 100%
250 Amber Valley East Midlands 0 0.0 31 31 100%
251 Blaby East Midlands 0 0.0 27 27 100%
252 Burnley North West 0 0.0 80 67 84% Estimated
253 Cherwell South East 0 0.0 240 229 95%
254 Chichester South East 0 0.0 272 161 59% Estimated
255 Cotswold South West 0 0.0 54 54 100%
256 East Cambridgeshire East of England 0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a
257 East Hampshire South East 0 0.0 19 19 100%
258 Forest of Dean South West 0 0.0 23 19 83%
259 Harborough East Midlands 0 0.0 13 12 92% Estimated
260 Hart South East 0 0.0 30 27 90%
261 Maidstone South East 0 0.0 225 185 82%
262 Merton London 0 0.0 900 585 65%
263 North Hertfordshire East of England 0 0.0 60 46 77%
264 Preston North West 0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a
265 Ribble Valley North West 0 0.0 8 8 100%
266 Rochford East of England 0 0.0 9 9 100% Estimated
267 South Hams South West 0 0.0 38 38 100%
268 South Ribble North West 0 0.0 41 40 98%
269 Stafford West Midlands 0 0.0 79 79 100%
270 Stockport North West 0 0.0 n/a 139 n/a
271 Telford and Wrekin West Midlands 0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a
272 Tewkesbury South West 0 0.0 n/a n/a n/a
273 Wakefield Yorkshire and The Humber 0 0.0 397 195 49%
274 Warrington North West 0 0.0 220 194 88%
275 Waverley South East 0 0.0 86 86 100%
276 West Devon South West 0 0.0 13 13 100%
277 Wokingham South East 0 0.0 115 87 76% Estimated
n/a Thurrock East of England n/a n/a 230 199 87%
n/a West Berkshire South East n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
n/a Isles of Scilly South West 0 n/a 0 0 n/a
n/a Northumberland North East n/a n/a 43 43 100% Estimated
n/a South Cambridgeshire East of England n/a n/a 95 95 100%
n/a Exeter South West n/a n/a 1,600 1,503 94%
n/a Brentwood East of England n/a n/a 55 48 87%
n/a Harlow East of England n/a n/a 300 279 93%
n/a Stroud South West n/a n/a 150 25 17% Estimated
n/a Gosport South East n/a n/a 40 40 100%
n/a Lincoln East Midlands n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
n/a Welwyn Hatfield East of England n/a n/a 400 352 88% Estimated
n/a Newcastle upon Tyne North East n/a n/a 3,892 2,486 64% Estimated
n/a Bromley London n/a n/a 350 318 91% Estimated, Not signed off
n/a Croydon London n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
n/a Hackney London n/a n/a 1,050 121 12% Estimated
n/a Haringey London n/a n/a 1,787 1,787 100%
n/a Harrow London n/a n/a 622 89 14%
n/a Hounslow London n/a n/a 4,000 1,337 33% Estimated

n/a: no figure reported. Estimated: MHCLG estimated one or more of the council's licensing figures because it did not answer. Not signed off: the council had not finalised its return. Big change: more than three times the figure a year earlier; shown as reported.

Questions

What is a Category 1 hazard?

The most serious hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, the way councils assess risks in homes, such as serious damp and mould, excess cold, fire risks or dangerous electrics. Under section 5 of the Housing Act 2004, if a council considers a Category 1 hazard exists "they must take the appropriate enforcement action in relation to the hazard".

What is an HMO, and which need a licence?

A house in multiple occupation is rented to people from more than one household who share facilities. A large HMO needs a mandatory licence in England if it is rented to 5 or more people who form more than 1 household and some or all share a toilet, bathroom or kitchen. Councils can also require smaller HMOs to be licensed in their area.

Why does my council show few or no dangerous homes?

The figures count homes found to have a Category 1 hazard when a council inspected them. A council that inspects few homes will find few hazards, so a low figure can reflect how much inspecting a council does, not how safe its rented homes are.

Does this show fines and prosecutions?

No. The government data councils return each year covers hazards found and HMO licensing, but not improvement notices, fines or prosecutions, so no national council-by-council figures for those exist.

Can councils fine landlords over hazards?

Yes. Since 22 June 2026, councils in England can fine landlords up to £7,000 for failing to fix the most serious (Category 1) hazards.

How often is this updated?

Councils report every year to MHCLG, which publishes the figures and then revises them. This table uses 2024-25 returns and updates when a new edition is published.

How the figures are worked out

  • Homes found with hazards. Privately rented homes that councils found, following an inspection, to have one or more Category 1 hazards in 2024-25 (MHCLG question f6a).
  • Per 1,000 rented homes. Divided by the number of privately rented households in the council at the 2021 Census.
  • HMO licensing. Properties with a mandatory HMO licence (f10a) against the council's own estimate of HMOs that need one (f9a). Only councils that gave both figures, and estimate at least 50 licensable HMOs, are named in the findings.
  • Estimates and returns. Where a council did not answer, MHCLG sometimes estimated the figure; these are marked, and are not named in the findings. Four councils' returns were not signed off.
  • History. The hazard series starts in 2017-18: several councils' earlier returns counted more homes than they had rented, so are not reliable. Licensing starts in 2018-19, when mandatory licensing was widened.

Sources

For journalists

Using these figures

You are welcome to use any figure on this page: each finding has a ready-made citation, and each council has its own link and citation on its card. Please credit the Council League Table and link to it.

The figures and the download are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0: use them freely, with credit to Landlord Insurance UK.

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