Selective licensing in Bexley
Yes. Bexley operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Common questions
Do I need a selective licence in Bexley?
Yes. Bexley operates a selective licensing scheme. Letting a covered property without a licence risks a civil penalty of up to £40,000 and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent.
Which areas of Bexley does the scheme cover?
Belvedere ward. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Bexley's scheme end?
The designation runs until 12 January 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£350. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Bexley before budgeting.
One payment.
- NOTE this figure was previously recorded on this row as though it were the mandatory fee
- Discount
Bexley, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
Bexley operates a selective licensing scheme covering Belvedere ward. It became operative on 13 January 2025 and expires on 12 January 2030, and the council began accepting applications on 5 November 2024. Within the designated ward every privately rented home needs a licence regardless of how many people occupy it, so an ordinary self-contained flat or a single-family house is caught as well as shared housing. A property that is an HMO let to fewer than five people is covered by this scheme rather than the mandatory regime where it sits inside the ward, and the council publishes a lookup tool so a landlord can check a specific address. The published fee is £350 plus £480, with a £50 reduction for landlords and agents who are accredited at the time of applying. Letting an unlicensed property in the designated area is a criminal offence: the council may prosecute or impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and on conviction the court may impose an unlimited fine. The rest of the borough is outside the designation and needs no selective licence. The £40,000 ceiling applies to offences committed on or after 1 May 2026; the £30,000 ceiling still applies to offences committed before that date.
What this means for a landlord
A licence must be in place before the property is let, not applied for afterwards. Operating unlicensed in a designated area is a criminal offence: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence and a rent repayment order of up to two years' rent. Both maxima apply to conduct on or after 1 May 2026; before that date they were £30,000 and twelve months. Section 21 was abolished on 1 May 2026 and possession now runs through the amended section 8 grounds. Mandatory HMO licensing applies separately and everywhere, wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households.
Information tool, not legal advice. Confirm the position with Bexley before letting.