Selective licensing in Wandsworth
Yes. Wandsworth 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 Wandsworth?
Yes. Wandsworth 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 Wandsworth does the scheme cover?
Two designations. Designation 1, approved by Cabinet 3 February 2025, in force 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030: Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway. Designation 2, made 1 December 2025 under the 23 December 2024 General Approval, in force 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031: East Putney, Northcote, West Putney. 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?
£885 per cent reduction on part a. 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 | £529 |
| Part B | £356 |
| Total | £885 |
- Discounts as additional
Wandsworth, read 28 August 2026
What the designation says
Wandsworth operates selective licensing in two phases. The first designation covers all privately rented homes in Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway. A second designation extends the scheme to further wards from April 2026. Selective licensing applies to homes occupied by a single family household or by two sharers, so an ordinary flat or house let to one family is caught; shared houses of three or more households fall under the separate additional HMO scheme instead. The fee is £850 per property and a licence normally runs for five years. The council ran an early-bird discount for the first designation and for additional licensing which closed on 31 December 2025, and a further early-bird discount for the second selective designation runs from 1 April 2026 to 1 October 2026. Because the two designations start at different times, a landlord should check their specific address against the council's property licence checker rather than assume a borough-wide position. 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 Wandsworth before letting.