Licensing in Wandsworth

• Selective licence

  In force

  London Borough of Wandsworth Designation 1 for Areas for Selective Licensing 2025

  Area

  Four wards in the south of the borough (Designation 1, shown yellow on the Annex A map).

  4 wards, as named in the designation (current Wandsworth wards (names match the ONS 2026 ward lookup)):

  • Furzedown
  • Tooting Bec
  • South Balham
  • Tooting Broadway

  Runs

  1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030

  Fee

  £885 for 5 years

  Part A £529, Part B £356, total £885. Discounts: multi-dwelling £104 off Part A; EPC B or above £104 off Part B; EPC C £52 off Part B; provision to social rented sector £104 off Part B; Gold Standard £142 (40%) off Part B; accredited landlord £104 off Part B. The early bird discount (£159, 30% off Part A) for Designation 1 ended on 31 December 2025. Discounts are lost after two requests for documents or a warning letter for failure to license. Fee page updated 23/09/2026.

  Who needs one

  Every privately rented home in the designated wards that is not licensable under the mandatory or additional HMO schemes, for example single households and two sharers.

  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. A temporary exemption notice lasts 3 months, at most 2 can be issued.

  Notes

  In force 1 July 2025, ceases 30/06/2030. The notice contradicts itself: it says the designation was 'made on 22 July 2024' but 'approved by Cabinet decision taken on the 03 February 2025', and that confirmation is no longer required while also saying the Secretary of State confirmed the start date. The council links the PRS Discretionary Licensing Paper No. 25-10. Licences usually last 5 years, but usually 1 year if planning permission for HMO use is needed or has been refused.

  Apply on the council siteLicence conditionsDesignation or map

  Sources

  • wandsworth.gov.uk: public notice on selective licencing designation 1 (PDF)
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence check
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence fees discounts

• Selective licence

  In force

  London Borough of Wandsworth Designation 2 for Areas for Selective Licensing 2026

  Area

  Designation 2 (Phase 2), shown orange on the Annex B map.

  3 wards, as named in the designation (current Wandsworth wards (names match the ONS 2026 ward lookup)):

  • East Putney
  • Northcote
  • West Putney

  Runs

  1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031

  Fee

  £885 for 5 years

  Part A £529, Part B £356, total £885, with the same discounts as Designation 1. The Designation 2 early bird discount (£159, 30% off Part A) ran from 1 April 2026 to 1 October 2026 and has now ended.

  Who needs one

  Every privately rented home in East Putney, Northcote and West Putney wards that is not licensable under the mandatory or additional HMO schemes.

  Exemptions

  Same as Designation 1: mandatory and additional HMOs; registered social landlord tenancies; management orders; temporary exemptions; SI 2006/370 exemptions.

  Notes

  This scheme started recently. Cabinet decided on 1 December 2025; the designation was made on 1 December 2025, came into force on 1 April 2026, and ceases on 31 March 2031. Secretary of State confirmation was not required under the 23 December 2024 general approval. The older URL 'public_notice_on_selective_licencing.pdf' now also serves the Designation 2 notice. The notice gives the Private Sector Housing Team contact as privatehousing@merton.gov.uk (Morden), which appears to be a shared service.

  Apply on the council siteLicence conditionsDesignation or map

  Sources

  • wandsworth.gov.uk: public notice on selective licencing delegation 2 (PDF)
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: public notice on selective licencing (PDF)
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence check
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence fees discounts

• Additional HMO licence

  In force

  The London Borough of Wandsworth Designation of an Area for Additional Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation 2025

  Area

  The entire London Borough of Wandsworth (Annex A map).

  Runs

  1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030

  Fee

  £1,507 for 5 years

  Part A £903, Part B £604, total £1,507. Discounts: multi-dwelling £104 off Part A; EPC B or above £104 off Part B; EPC C £52 off Part B; provision to social rented sector £104 off Part B; Gold Standard £242 (40%) off Part B; accredited landlord £104 off Part B. The early bird discount ended on 31 December 2025. Fee page updated 23/09/2026.

  Who needs one

  HMOs (s.254) occupied by 3 or more people from 2 or more households that are not mandatory HMOs. The council page says this includes HMOs let to at most 4 people sharing a bathroom or kitchen, and flats in multiple occupation in purpose-built blocks of 3 or more flats.

  Exemptions

  Mandatory HMOs; properties under an interim or final management order; temporary exemptions (s.62); Schedule 14 buildings; section 257 converted blocks (each flat in such a block in a selective ward needs its own selective licence).

  Notes

  The notice says it was 'made on 22 July 2024', approved by Cabinet on 03 February 2025, in force 01/07/2025, and ceases 30/06/2030. This is Wandsworth's first additional scheme.

  Apply on the council siteLicence conditions

  Sources

  • wandsworth.gov.uk: public notice on additional licencing across wandsworth (PDF)
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence check
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence fees discounts

• Mandatory HMO licence

  In force

  Mandatory HMO licensing (national scheme, Wandsworth fees)

  Area

  The whole borough (national scheme).

  Fee

  £1,711 for 5 years

  Priced by bedrooms (units of accommodation or households). Part B is £675 in every case. 3 units £1,711 (A £1,036); 4 units £1,769; 5 units £1,827; 6 units £1,885; 7 units £1,943; 8 units £2,001; 9 units £2,059; 10 or more £2,117, plus a pro rata fee on the same scale for each unit above 10. standard_gbp is the lowest band. Discounts: multi-dwelling £104 off A; EPC B or above £104 off B; EPC C £52 off B; social rented sector £104 off B; Gold Standard 40% off B; accredited £104 off B.

  Who needs one

  HMOs with at least 5 tenants from 2 or more households sharing toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities.

  Exemptions

  Statutory exemptions under Schedule 14, Housing Act 2004 (e.g. public-sector controlled buildings, some student buildings, some owner-occupied buildings).

  Notes

  This is the national scheme. The council publishes its own page and fees.

  Apply on the council siteLicence conditions

  Sources

  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence check
  • wandsworth.gov.uk: property licence fees discounts

We found no Article 4 direction on house shares in Wandsworth.

Council source

Wandsworth's civil penalty policy

No consultation was recorded when we researched Wandsworth.

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

• Not yet confirmed

  The decision date for adopting the Renters' Rights Act civil penalty policy and the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026 was not found. This could not be independently re-checked on 2026-10-14 because the documents do not state it.

• Not yet confirmed

  The Designation 1 and additional notices give the 'made' date as 22 July 2024 but Cabinet approval as 3 February 2025. Designation 1 also says both that Secretary of State confirmation was not required and that the Secretary of State confirmed the start date. The dates in force are consistent across sources.

Licensing is separate from the national landlord register. Wandsworth 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