Additional HMO licensing in Wandsworth
Yes. Wandsworth operates an additional HMO 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 an additional HMO licence in Wandsworth?
Yes. Wandsworth operates an additional HMO 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 Wandsworth does the scheme cover?
Borough-wide, all wards. Section 257 HMOs excluded. Made 22 July 2024. Confirm a specific address against the council's own designation map before applying.
When does Wandsworth's scheme end?
The designation runs until 30 June 2030, unless the council revokes it earlier under section 84 of the Housing Act 2004.
What does the licence cost?
£1,507. Councils commonly discount for accredited landlords and early applications; confirm the current figure with Wandsworth before budgeting.
Paid in two parts — one on application, the balance before the licence is issued.
| Part A | £903 |
| Part B | £604 |
| Total | £1,507 |
- Discounts mostly off Part B: EPC B+ £104 or EPC C £52; accredited £104; social-rented-sector provision £104; Gold Standard 40 per cent off Part B; multi-dwelling £104 off Part A
- Discounts, research live-read 24 Aug 2026
Wandsworth, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
Wandsworth operates a borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. It applies to small shared houses occupied by residents from three or more households who share a kitchen or a bathroom and which are not already covered by the national mandatory HMO scheme, so it brings smaller house shares into licensing below the five-occupant mandatory threshold. The fee is £1,450 per property and a licence normally runs for five years. The early-bird discount for this scheme closed on 31 December 2025. Mandatory HMO licensing continues to apply separately wherever a property is let to five or more people forming two or more households. Because Wandsworth also runs selective licensing in parts of the borough, a landlord should establish which of the three schemes catches a given property before applying: a single family or two sharers falls under selective, three or more households under additional or mandatory.
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 Wandsworth before letting.