Harrow is the heart of the old Metro-land, and I cover all of it as an accredited domestic energy assessor: Harrow, Harrow on the Hill and Greenhill (HA1), South Harrow, West Harrow and Rayners Lane (HA2), Wealdstone, Harrow Weald and Kenton (HA3), Pinner and Hatch End (HA5), Stanmore (HA7), and Edgware and Canons Park (HA8). There is no travel surcharge anywhere inside Greater London; booking a day or two ahead gives you the widest choice of times.
| Households (2021 census) | 89,642 |
|---|---|
| Rented privately | 29.6% (London 30.0%) |
| Owned outright or with a mortgage | 58.8% (London 45.2%) |
| Social rented | 10.4% (London 23.1%) |
| Households living in a flat | 34.6% (London 54.0%) |
| …of which in a converted house | 6.4% of all households (London 11.1%) |
| Households in a house | 65.4% (London 45.9%) |
| Typical (median) EPC score | 69, band C (London 70) |
| Homes with an EPC rated C or above | 50% (London 58%) |
| Selective licence (1 or 2 people, or one family) | Edgware, Roxeth, Greenhill, Marlborough, Wealdstone North and South, from 2026 |
| HMO licence | 3 or 4 people: additional; 5 or more: mandatory; both borough-wide |
| Households in a semi-detached house | 37.1%, the third-highest share in London |
Sources: Census 2021, Office for National Statistics, tables TS054 (tenure) and TS044 (accommodation type) via Nomis; London means the 33 local authorities added together. Licensing: Harrow Council’s “Do you need a property licence?”, “Selective licence” and “Extension of the scheme from 2026” pages, checked 22 October 2026. EPC figures: ONS, “Energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales” (28 October 2025), the latest certificate for each home lodged in the ten years to March 2025, at the score when it was assessed; homes without an EPC are not counted.
Harrow’s licences
- Selective licensing, for privately rented homes occupied by one or two people or one family household, now covers six wards: Edgware and Roxeth from 2 May 2026, Greenhill and Marlborough from 6 July 2026, and Wealdstone North and Wealdstone South from 1 September 2026. Each designation lasts five years.
- Additional HMO licensing covers any HMO with three or four people, anywhere in the borough.
- Mandatory HMO licensing covers any HMO with five or more people, anywhere in the borough.
Only one licence is needed for each property, and licences are issued for up to five years. The application asks for property details such as the number and type of rooms. Turning a family house into a small HMO may also need planning permission for the change of use, though planning status does not affect the licence application itself. Letting without a licence that is needed is a criminal offence carrying an unlimited fine on conviction, after which tenants can apply for a rent repayment order. Checked on Harrow Council’s selective licensing pages on 22 October 2026; its ward checker and City Hall’s property licence checker confirm which scheme an address is in.
The EPC behind a Harrow let
Whatever the licence, a home let to a household needs a valid EPC, and most privately rented homes must be rated E or above unless an exemption has been registered; the landlord guide has the detail. For a shared house, the HMO guide explains when one certificate covers the whole property. A laser-measured floor plan, from £123 with the EPC, records the number, type and size of every room.
What the assessment looks at in a Harrow home
How homes in Harrow score today. The ONS’s latest figures use each home’s most recent EPC lodged in the ten years to March 2025. The typical (median) score here is 69, band C, against 70 across London, and 50% of those homes are rated C or above (London 58%). Homes built before 1929 have a median of 62, against 84 for homes built since 2012; flats and maisonettes come out at 74, terraced houses at 67. How every London borough compares.
Harrow is a borough of houses: 65.4% of households live in one, and 37.1% live in a semi-detached house — the third-highest share in London, after Bexley and Havering. Just over a third (34.6%) live in a flat.
The Metro-land semis
Harrow became the unofficial capital of Metro-land in the early twentieth century and had grown into a suburb by the inter-war years. Pinner expanded rapidly between 1923 and 1939 with a series of garden estates, including the Pinnerwood estate, now a conservation area, and many 1930s Art Deco homes; Rayners Lane was developed from 1927 onwards; and Edgware filled out after its tube station opened in 1924. Much of that Edwardian and 1920s-to-1940s housing has since been extended or redeveloped. In a 1930s semi, the biggest questions are usually the walls — often a cavity, filled or not — the depth of loft insulation, and the age and construction of any extension, loft conversion or conservatory, each of which is recorded separately.
Harrow on the Hill and Wealdstone
The old village of Harrow on the Hill is a conservation area with listed Georgian buildings. Being listed does not exempt a home from needing an EPC on its own: a listed home is exempt only where meeting minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter its character or appearance. Central Wealdstone, by contrast, is mostly Victorian and Edwardian terraces, with new flats on the High Street and George Gange Way — check whether a newer flat’s EPC is still valid before booking.
Selling in Harrow
Nearly six in ten Harrow households own their home (58.8%). An EPC has to be ordered before a home goes on the market; the sellers’ guide covers the timing.
Prices
- Domestic EPC from £69
- EPC + floor plan from £123, in one visit
- Floor plan only from £69
Guide prices for houses: £85 for two- and three-bedroom homes of 71 to 95 square metres, £90 for three-bedroom houses and compact four-bedroom homes of 96 to 110, and from £95 above that; flats start at £69. Confirmed in writing before you book. How EPC prices compare across London.
Common questions
Which Harrow wards have selective licensing?
Edgware and Roxeth from 2 May 2026, Greenhill and Marlborough from 6 July 2026, and Wealdstone North and Wealdstone South from 1 September 2026, each for five years. It applies to privately rented homes occupied by one or two people or one family household.
Do shared houses in Harrow need a licence?
Yes. An HMO with three or four people needs an additional licence anywhere in Harrow, and one with five or more a mandatory licence. Only one licence is needed for each property.
Do I need planning permission to turn a Harrow house into an HMO?
You may: the council says a planning application may be needed for a change of use from a dwelling house to a small HMO. Planning status does not affect the licence application itself.
How much is an EPC for a semi-detached house in Harrow?
On the guide price list, two- and three-bedroom homes of 71 to 95 square metres are £85, and three-bedroom houses and compact four-bedroom homes of 96 to 110 square metres are £90. The exact price is confirmed in writing before you book.
Is there a travel charge to Harrow?
No. Harrow is inside Greater London, so there is no travel surcharge, and the price is the same as anywhere else in London.
Nearby
Next door: Barnet, Brent, Ealing and Hillingdon. I cover every London borough.