Lambeth Licence Conditions and Inspections: What to Expect After Approval

Getting the licence granted is only half the process. Once issued, it comes with a set of mandatory and local conditions that run for the full licence term — typically five years. Breaching any of them is a criminal offence under the Housing Act 2004 and can lead to a civil penalty of up to £40,000, a licence revocation, or both.

Mandatory Statutory Conditions

These conditions are set by Sections 67 and 90 of the Housing Act 2004 and apply to every licence in every borough. Lambeth cannot waive them:

Gas safety. Gas installations must be inspected annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer. The resulting CP12 certificate must be provided to tenants within 28 days of the check and supplied to the council on request.

Electrical safety. Electrical installations must be inspected every five years under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulations 2020. All C1 and C2 defects must be remediated. The current satisfactory EICR must be available for council inspection.

Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Smoke alarms on every storey used for living accommodation, kept in working order. Carbon monoxide alarms in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, open fire, wood burner). Since the 2022 regulations update, this applies to all private rented properties, not just HMOs.

Tenancy terms. A written statement of tenancy terms must be provided to every tenant. The licence is conditioned on this, and operating without written terms is both a licence breach and a separate regulatory failure.

Lambeth's Local Conditions

On top of the national mandatory conditions, Lambeth attaches its own local requirements:

Waste management. The licence holder must provide adequate bins and give tenants clear written instructions on collection days and waste disposal. Overflowing bins and dumped rubbish are common grounds for licence condition enforcement, especially in HMOs.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB). The licence holder must maintain a written process for investigating and dealing with anti-social behaviour complaints generated by occupiers or visitors. This means having a documented procedure — not just responding reactively when the council contacts you.

Occupancy limits. The licence specifies the maximum number of occupants and, for HMOs, the maximum per room. Exceeding these limits is a licence condition breach. If a tenant moves in a partner or subtenant who pushes the property over the permitted headcount, the landlord must address it.

What Happens During an Inspection

Lambeth officers carry out both routine compliance checks and risk-based inspections. Under Section 239 of the Housing Act 2004, they must give at least 24 hours' written notice to the occupier and owner before entering the premises.

During an inspection, officers typically check:

• Alarm installations and that they are functional
• Gas and electrical safety certificates are current
• Room sizes match the licence terms (for HMOs)
• Common areas are maintained (fire escapes clear, communal areas clean)
• The licence is displayed or available to tenants
• The property meets Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) standards

The HHSRS assessment covers 29 hazard categories — damp, mould, excess cold, falling risks, and more. Holding a licence does not protect against Part 1 enforcement if a Category 1 hazard is found. The council can issue an improvement notice even if the licence itself is in good standing.

Some landlords report that their properties were never inspected during the full licence term. Others receive a check within months. The process appears risk-based: late applications, complaints, and properties in known problem areas are prioritised.

Short-Term Licences

Lambeth can issue a restricted licence for one to two years instead of the standard five. This typically happens when:

• The application was submitted late or only after the enforcement team made contact
• Minor planning or building control issues exist
• There is a history of property management complaints

A short-term licence means paying the same fees for less coverage, with a renewal application due much sooner. Applying on time and having clean records reduces the risk of a shortened licence.

Our Lambeth landlord licensing guide includes the full set of licence conditions for selective and HMO licences, what inspectors check, and a compliance calendar to track the ongoing requirements across the five-year term.

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