Greenwich Selective Licensing Expansion 2026: What Landlords Need to Know

What Was Proposed

Between 21 July and 12 October 2026, the Royal Borough of Greenwich ran a public consultation on expanding its selective licensing scheme from the current five designated wards to 18 wards across the borough. The consultation proposed including 17 full wards plus a partial designation for Woolwich Arsenal.

If approved, the expansion would bring nearly every private rental in the borough within scope of at least one licensing scheme. Currently, a single-family let outside the five designated wards needs no licence at all. Under the proposed scheme, that same property would need a selective licence if it falls within any of the 18 wards.

The Current Scheme vs the Proposal

The proposed fee of £974 includes a modest increase from the current £905.75. A new 10% discount for accredited landlords (through the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme or equivalent) was also proposed — something the current scheme does not offer.

What Happens Next

The consultation closed on 12 October 2026. The council needs to analyse responses, prepare a cabinet report, and put the proposal to a full cabinet vote. Under the General Approval 2024 (effective 23 December 2024), local authorities in England no longer need Secretary of State confirmation for selective licensing designations of any size, provided the statutory tests and consultation requirements are met.

That means Greenwich can approve the expansion at cabinet level without a further central government step. But the cabinet decision has not been made yet, and no new designation instrument has been signed.

Until a new designation is formally in force, selective licensing applies only in the original five wards. Do not apply or pay fees for a property outside those wards based on the consultation alone.

What Landlords in Potentially Affected Wards Should Do Now

If you own rental property in wards that could be added — Eltham South, Kidbrooke Park, Charlton, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead Moorings, Greenwich West, Peninsula and others — there is no legal obligation to act yet. But preparation costs nothing:

• Check your safety certificates. A current gas safety certificate, EICR and EPC are already legal requirements for all private rentals. If yours are overdue, sort them now regardless of licensing.
• Measure your rooms. If the property is ever shared by three or more people from different households, it already needs an additional HMO licence borough-wide. Room measurements and floor plans are required for that application too.
• Set aside the fee. The proposed £974 is payable in two stages, with Stage 1 non-refundable. Budget for it so the cost does not catch you off guard.

The Borough-Wide Picture

Even without the expansion, Greenwich already has licensing reach across most property types. Additional HMO licensing has applied borough-wide since January 2024, catching any property with three or more unrelated sharers. The only gap is single-family lets and two-person shares outside the five selective wards — and that is exactly what the expansion aims to close.

For a full breakdown of which licence applies to your property under the current rules, and what documents you need before applying, see our step-by-step Greenwich licensing guide.

See more England guides →