Forest Hill Selective Licensing: What Lewisham Landlords Need to Know

Forest Hill is one of the 16 wards covered by Lewisham's selective licensing scheme, falling under Designation 3 alongside Bellingham, Downham, Grove Park and Whitefoot. The scheme runs from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2029. If you let a single-household property or a two-sharer flat in Forest Hill, you need a selective licence.

Pre-2022 Boundaries

The selective licensing designation uses the pre-May 2022 ward boundaries. Forest Hill borders Sydenham to the north (Designation 2) and Perry Vale to the west (Designation 1) — both designated, so the boundary between them does not matter for licensing purposes.

The southern and eastern edges of Forest Hill approach the boundary with the London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Properties on streets near Honor Oak, One Tree Hill or the Dulwich border may show ambiguous results on generic postcode lookups. If your property is near a borough boundary, confirm it falls within Lewisham using the council's GIS address checker on the MetaStreet portal.

Forest Hill's Housing Mix

Forest Hill has a varied housing stock: Victorian and Edwardian terraced houses (many converted into flats), inter-war semis, and some newer purpose-built developments around the station and the Horniman area. The converted terraced stock is common in this part of south-east London, and the licensing obligation depends on the individual flat's occupancy rather than the building type.

A flat let to a single household needs a selective licence. A flat with three or more unrelated occupants sharing facilities needs an HMO licence under the borough-wide additional or mandatory scheme. The decision guide covers which scheme applies based on your property's occupancy.

Fees

The selective licence costs £640 per property:

• Part A: £160 (non-refundable processing fee, paid on application)
• Part B: £480 (paid when the council is ready to grant the licence)
• With accreditation discount: £544 total (20% off Part B for NRLA or London Landlord Accreditation Scheme members)

What to Prepare

Before applying, gather:

• A valid EICR (satisfactory, with no outstanding C1/C2/FI codes)
• A current gas safety certificate (if gas-supplied)
• An EPC rated E or above
• Details of all interested parties (mortgage lender, freeholder if leasehold)
• Proof of accreditation if claiming the discount

The Lewisham licensing guide walks through the full application on MetaStreet, the conditions attached to the licence, and the inspection process that follows.

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