Selective licensing in Enfield
Yes. Enfield 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 Enfield?
Yes. Enfield 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 Enfield does the scheme cover?
17 wards across 2 designations. Designation 1 (13 wards): Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock, Haselbury, Jubilee, Lower Edmonton, Ponders End, Southbury, Upper Edmonton, Whitewebbs. Designation 2 (4 wards): New Southgate, Palmers Green, Southgate, Town.. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Enfield's scheme end?
The designation runs until 31 August 2031, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£735. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Enfield before budgeting.
One payment.
Enfield, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
Selective licensing RENEWED AND EXPANDED. The outgoing 14-ward designation ends 31 August 2026 and is replaced without a gap by a new scheme covering 17 wards, approved by Enfield Cabinet on 22 April 2026 (Key Decision 6032, effective 2 May 2026 after the call-in period) following consultation opened in October 2025. The new scheme comes into force on 1 September 2026 and runs for five years to 31 August 2031. It is split across two designations: Designation 1 covers 13 wards (Bowes, Brimsdown, Bullsmoor, Carterhatch, Edmonton Green, Enfield Lock, Haselbury, Jubilee, Lower Edmonton, Ponders End, Southbury, Upper Edmonton, Whitewebbs); Designation 2 covers 4 wards (New Southgate, Palmers Green, Southgate, Town). It applies to all privately rented properties in those wards. The proposed licence fee is around GBP 750, with discounts for accredited landlords, multi-dwelling applications and properties rated EPC C or above; confirm the exact fee at application as sources report GBP 750 and GBP 755. Borough-wide additional HMO licensing runs separately to 31 August 2030 and is unaffected. Verified 4 Aug 2026 against enfield.gov.uk and BoroughReady.
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 Enfield before letting.