Selective licensing in Greenwich
Yes. Greenwich 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 Greenwich?
Yes. Greenwich 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 Greenwich does the scheme cover?
Five wards: Woolwich Riverside (recorded on this row previously as Woolwich Arsenal, which is not the current ward name), Woolwich Common, Shooters Hill, Plumstead Common, Plumstead Glyndon. Made 31 March 2022. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Greenwich's scheme end?
The designation runs until 1 October 2027, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£905.75. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Greenwich before budgeting.
One payment.
Greenwich — royalgreenwich.gov.uk, read 19 Aug 2026
What the designation says
Greenwich operates a selective licensing scheme covering five wards: Woolwich Arsenal, Woolwich Common, Shooters Hill, Plumstead Common and Plumstead Glyndon. It came into force on 1 October 2022. Within those wards every privately rented single-household home needs a licence regardless of how many people live there, so an ordinary flat or a house let to one family is caught as well as shared housing. The council publishes an address lookup so a landlord can check whether a specific property falls inside the designated area. A much larger replacement scheme is being consulted on: the proposal would cover 18 wards, 17 in full plus part of Woolwich Arsenal, and would replace the current designation. Cabinet is due to decide the designated areas, the licence conditions, the fees and the start date towards the end of 2026, and the scheme would begin after the statutory notice period. A landlord in a ward outside the current five should therefore expect to need a licence in due course. Letting without a required licence 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 Greenwich before letting.