Council licensing · London

Licensing in Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest has selective licensing in 20 wards and additional HMO licensing across the whole council area.

Researched 14 October 2026 · Independently checked 14 October 2026

Check a specific address in Waltham Forest

We match the postcode to its ward and the schemes below.

Licensing, ward by ward

Tap a ward, or focus it with your keyboard, to see its name and recorded coverage.

Selective licensing area20
Additional HMO licensing area2

Additional HMO licensing also covers the whole council area.

Current ONS ward boundaries. Exemptions apply. Use the postcode check and scheme details for your property.

Selective licensing: 20 wards
Additional HMO licensing: Yes, whole council area
Article 4 on house shares: Yes
Consultation: None open

Licensing schemes

Selective licence
In force
London Borough of Waltham Forest Designation for an Area for Selective Licensing 2025
Area
The designation text reads: '20 out of 22 wards in the London Borough of Waltham Forest (excluding Hatch Lane/Highams Park North and Endlebury) as delineated and edged red on Map 1'. The designation names only the two excluded wards. The 20 included ward names above are the remaining wards in the ONS 2026 ward lookup for E09000031. The consultation report names the excluded wards 'Hatch Lane & Highams Park North' and 'Endlebury'.
20 wards, as named in the designation (2022 wards (22-ward pattern; the consultation report calls the 2020 scheme's 20 wards 'the then 20 wards')):
Cann Hall
Cathall
Chapel End
Chingford Green
Forest
Grove Green
Hale End & Highams Park South
High Street
Higham Hill
Hoe Street
Larkswood
Lea Bridge
Leyton
Leytonstone
Markhouse
St James
Upper Walthamstow
Valley
William Morris
Wood Street
Runs
1 May 2025 to 30 April 2030
Fee
£895 for 5 years
Part A £300 on application, Part B £595 on grant. Discounts: multi-property £125 per dwelling in the same building after the first (£770: A £175 / B £595); EPC C £800 (B £500); EPC A or B £600 (B £300); eligible charities £400. Discounts marked * are not available once the council has had to investigate a failure to license. Fee page last updated 11 September 2026.
Who needs one
All privately rented homes let to an individual, a single family, or two unrelated sharers in the 20 designated wards, unless the property is a mandatory or additional HMO.
Exemptions
Mandatory HMOs; HMOs licensable under the additional scheme; tenancies granted by a registered social landlord; properties under an interim or final management order; temporary exemptions (s.86); tenancies exempt under SI 2006/370 (Annex A). Section 257 buildings are not licensed under the additional scheme, so each rented flat in them needs a selective licence if occupied by a single household.
Notes
Made 9 July 2024 (Cabinet). The Secretary of State confirmed it to come into force on 1 May 2025, and it ceases to have effect on 30 April 2030 (the notice was signed 15 November 2024). It replaced the 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2025 scheme, which covered 18 of the then 20 wards. Licences are granted for up to 5 years, and may be shorter after past non-compliance or a planning breach. The council says landlords who have applied may keep letting while applications are delayed. The selective web page lists the excluded areas as 'Hatch Lane, Highams Park North and Endlebury', which reads as three wards, but the designation and consultation report say two (Hatch Lane & Highams Park North is one ward).
Apply on the council site Licence conditions Designation or map
Sources
Additional HMO licence
In force
London Borough of Waltham Forest Designation for an Area for Additional Licensing (2025)
Area
The whole London Borough of Waltham Forest (Annex A map, edged red).
Runs
1 April 2025 to 31 March 2030
Fee
£1,200 for 5 years
Part A £600, Part B £600. Discounts: multi-property £125 (£1,075: A £475 / B £600); EPC C £1,105 (B £505); EPC A or B £800 (B £200). Fee page last updated 11 September 2026.
Who needs one
HMOs outside mandatory licensing that meet the s.254 standard, self-contained flat or converted building tests, or have an HMO declaration (s.255). In practice this means 3 or more people from 2 or more households sharing a basic amenity. Includes multi-occupied flats in purpose-built blocks of more than two flats. Section 257 HMO buildings are not licensed under this scheme.
Exemptions
Mandatory HMOs; properties under an interim or final management order; temporary exemptions (s.62); Schedule 14 buildings (Annex C).
Notes
Made 9 July 2024, in force 1 April 2025, and ceases to have effect on 31 March 2030 under the designation, the schemes page and the September 2025 enforcement policy. The 'Check if you need an additional HMO licence' page (updated 11 September 2026) says instead that it 'expires on 31 May 2030'. It renewed the 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2025 borough-wide scheme. The schemes page describes the scope as 'HMOs occupied by 2 to 3 persons in 2 or more households', which conflicts with the additional page and enforcement policy ('three or more').
Apply on the council site Licence conditions Designation or map
Sources
Mandatory HMO licence
In force
Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Waltham Forest fees)
Area
The whole borough (national scheme).
Fee
£1,650 for 5 years
£1,650 for up to 8 units, £2,200 for 9 to 19 units, £5,500 for 20 or more units. Paid 50% as Part A and 50% as Part B.
Who needs one
Properties with 5 or more unrelated people forming 2 or more households and sharing amenities like kitchens and bathrooms. Children count towards the total.
Exemptions
Statutory exemptions under Schedule 14, Housing Act 2004.
Notes
This is the national scheme. The council publishes its own page and fees.
Apply on the council site
Sources
- walthamforest.gov.uk: check if you need mandatory hmo licence
- walthamforest.gov.uk: check how much property licence costs

Article 4 for house shares

Waltham Forest has an Article 4 direction on houses in multiple occupation. Turning a family home into a shared house may need planning permission.

Area: Borough_wide: change of use from C3 dwellinghouse to C4 HMO needs planning permission across the whole borough. The direction was made on 16 September 2013 and confirmed on 6 January 2014.
Takes effect: 16 September 2014

Council source

Civil penalty policy

The council's policy sets how it decides the size of a fine. The version we found has not been updated for the Renters' Rights Act.

The published 'Housing and Licensing Team Enforcement Policy' is dated 24 September 2025, approved by Cabinet, and is linked from the licensing pages updated 11 September 2026. It predates the Renters' Rights Act starting points and uses a £30,000 maximum. Penalties are set from a 6-band matrix (band 1 £0-5,000 up to band 6 £25,000-30,000), then aggravating factors and discounts are applied. Failure to license a mandatory HMO is band 3, at least £12,500, for a landlord with 1 or 2 HMOs; it is band 5, £22,500 or more, for portfolio landlords (3 or more HMOs or 6 or more dwellings) or experienced landlords. Failure to obtain an additional licence is band 2, at least £7,500, for a landlord with 1 or 2 HMO dwellings. Failure to obtain a selective licence is band 2, at least £7,500, for a landlord with 5 or fewer dwellings. Both rise to band 4, £17,500 or more, for portfolio or experienced landlords. Aggravating factors include the condition of the unlicensed property and evidence the landlord knew licensing was required.

Waltham Forest's civil penalty policy

Consultations

No consultation was recorded when we researched Waltham Forest.

Not yet confirmed

These points were unresolved when we researched Waltham Forest on 14 October 2026. Check them with the council before you rely on them.

Not yet confirmed
The additional scheme's end date conflicts: the designation and schemes page say 31 March 2030, but the 'Check if you need an additional HMO licence' page (updated 11 September 2026) says 31 May 2030.
Not yet confirmed
No Renters' Rights Act updated civil penalty policy was found. The policy linked from the licensing pages is dated 24 September 2025 with a £30,000 maximum. Check whether a newer policy has been adopted.
Not yet confirmed
The selective designation names only the excluded wards. The 20 included ward names come from the ONS 2026 ward lookup, not from the designation text.
Not yet confirmed
The council schemes page describes the additional scheme as covering 'HMOs occupied by 2 to 3 persons'; other council pages and the enforcement policy say 3 or more people.

Landlord register

Licensing is separate from the national landlord register. Waltham Forest is in London, where the planned registration window runs from 15 July 2027 to 14 October 2027. The regulations are still in draft. Register dates, fee and documents