How to Apply for a Landlord Licence in Greenwich: Step-by-Step
Where to Apply
All Greenwich property licence applications go through the council's Metastreet portal at greenwich.metastreet.co.uk. There are no paper forms. The portal handles new applications, renewals, variation requests and temporary exemption notices.
The Application Process
1. Register an account. Create a user account on the portal. You will need a working email address and a UK contact number.
2. Enter the property address. The portal maps the address against ward boundaries and scheme designations. It tells you whether selective licensing applies (five designated wards only) and confirms the property type for HMO schemes.
3. Select the scheme. Based on the address and your occupancy details, choose the correct scheme — selective, additional HMO or mandatory HMO. Applying for the wrong one wastes the non-refundable Stage 1 fee.
4. Complete the applicant details. The proposed licence holder must be a UK resident individual or a UK-registered company. Non-UK resident landlords must appoint a UK-based managing agent who accepts legal responsibility for compliance.
5. Fill in the fit-and-proper person declaration. The council must be satisfied that the licence holder is a fit and proper person. You will declare unspent convictions, housing enforcement history, banning orders and any adverse findings under the Equality Act 2010.
6. Upload documents. Have these ready before you start:
- Gas safety certificate (current, within 12 months)
- EICR (satisfactory, no more than 5 years old)
- EPC (minimum E rating, no more than 10 years old)
- Scaled floor plans with room dimensions in square metres
- Fire risk assessment for common parts (HMOs)
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm declarations
7. Pay Stage 1. The processing fee is payable on submission. This is non-refundable — if the application is rejected for missing documents, you lose this payment and must start a new application.
8. Wait for verification. Council officers check your submission for completeness. If anything is missing, you receive a formal request with a deadline to provide it. The statutory processing target is 12 weeks from a complete submission.
9. Draft licence and representation period. Once verified, the council issues a draft licence. You and any interested parties (mortgagees, freeholders) have three weeks to raise objections.
10. Pay Stage 2 and receive the final licence. After the representation window, pay the second fee instalment. The council then issues the final licence.
How Long Does It Take?
The target is 12 weeks from a duly made (complete) application to a draft licence. In practice, delays happen when documents are missing or when the council requests further information.
If the council fails to issue a determination within 52 weeks of submission, tacit consent applies — the property can operate lawfully until the scheme expires or a formal renewal is processed. This is rare and should not be relied on as a strategy.
Free Download
Get the Greenwich Landlord Licensing Checklist
Everything in this article as a printable checklist — plus action plans and reference guides you can start using today.
Common Mistakes That Delay Applications
- Uploading an expired gas certificate. It must have been issued within the last 12 months at the time of submission.
- Submitting an EICR with unsatisfactory codes. C1, C2 and FI issues must be remediated and a clean report uploaded. The council will not process an application with outstanding codes.
- Missing floor plan dimensions. Plans must show room areas in square metres, ceiling heights, and the location of doors, windows and fixed amenities. A sketch without measurements is not accepted.
- Wrong scheme selection. A three-person share in a selective ward needs an additional HMO licence, not a selective licence. The occupancy threshold overrides the ward test.
Non-Refundable Fees Matter
Stage 1 fees range from £263.91 per letting unit for HMOs to £452.88 for selective licences. An incomplete application that gets rejected means losing that money. Checking every document before you hit submit is worth the extra hour.
Our Greenwich landlord licensing guide includes a pre-submission checklist that matches the portal's requirements field by field, so you can verify everything offline before making the non-refundable payment.
Get Your Free Greenwich Landlord Licensing Checklist
Download the Greenwich Landlord Licensing Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.