Selective licensing in City of Westminster
Yes. City of Westminster 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 City of Westminster?
Yes. City of Westminster 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 City of Westminster does the scheme cover?
15 wards: Abbey Road, Bayswater, Church Street, Harrow Road, Hyde Park, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, Lancaster Gate, Little Venice, Maida Vale, Marylebone, Pimlico North, Queen's Park, Regent's Park, West End, Westbourne. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does City of Westminster's scheme end?
The designation runs until 23 November 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£995 per cent off part b. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with City of Westminster before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £543 |
| Part B | £452 |
| Total | £995 |
- Discounts: 10 per cent (£99
- Discounts document, research live-read 24 Aug 2026
City of Westminster, read 31 August 2026
What the designation says
Westminster operates a selective licensing scheme covering 15 of the city's 18 wards, which went live on 24 November 2025. It applies to privately rented homes let to a single household, including those occupied by one or two people, and excludes houses in multiple occupation already covered by the mandatory or additional HMO schemes — a property licensed under one of those does not need a selective licence as well. Because three of the eighteen wards are outside the designation, a landlord should check a specific address against the council's published boundary rather than assume the whole city is covered. Letting an unlicensed property inside a designated ward is a criminal offence carrying a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or prosecution, and exposes the landlord to a rent repayment order. 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 City of Westminster before letting.