Selective Licensing in London Boroughs: A Landlord's Guide

Selective licensing is not a London-wide policy — it's a patchwork of individual borough schemes, each with its own designation dates, ward coverage, fee structures and conditions. For landlords with properties in more than one borough, the differences matter. A process that works in one borough may not transfer directly to the next.

How Selective Licensing Works

Part 3 of the Housing Act 2004 gives local authorities the power to require a licence for privately rented properties that don't qualify as HMOs — typically single-family lets or properties with up to two unrelated sharers. The council designates specific areas where the scheme applies, usually targeting neighbourhoods with poor housing conditions, anti-social behaviour, or high deprivation.

On 23 December 2024, the Housing Act 2004: Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Selective Licensing of Other Residential Accommodation (England) General Approval 2024 came into force, removing the requirement for councils to obtain Secretary of State confirmation before implementing a selective licensing scheme of any size. Councils must still meet the statutory requirements and consult for at least 10 weeks.

London Boroughs With Active Schemes

Multiple London boroughs operate selective licensing as of 2026. Schemes vary significantly:

Borough-wide schemes cover every ward (or nearly every ward) in the borough. Newham is the longest-running example, now in its third consecutive five-year cycle (current designation: 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2028, covering 21 of 23 wards). Other boroughs with extensive coverage include Waltham Forest and Barking and Dagenham. Tower Hamlets' previous selective licensing scheme ended on 30 September 2026; the council says no scheme is in force there from 1 October 2026.

Partial schemes target specific wards or neighbourhoods. Some boroughs designate only areas with the worst housing conditions data, leaving other wards unaffected.

No selective scheme — several boroughs rely solely on Mandatory and Additional HMO licensing without a selective licensing layer.

The coverage changes over time. Boroughs introduce new schemes, expand existing ones, or allow them to lapse. Always check the specific borough council's website for current designations.

What Varies Between Boroughs

Fees. Each council sets its own fee schedule. Newham charges £750 for a standard selective licence (£400 Part A, £350 Part B). Other boroughs may charge more or less, and not all use the two-part payment model.

Discounts. Some boroughs offer discounts for accredited landlords or energy-efficient properties. In Newham, accredited landlords receive £50 off and properties with an EPC rated A-C get another £50 off. Other boroughs have different discount criteria or none at all.

Licence conditions. While national requirements like gas safety and EICR apply everywhere, individual boroughs attach their own conditions — frequency of property inspections, anti-social behaviour protocols, tenant referencing requirements, and more.

Application portals. Each borough runs its own system. Newham uses the My Newham portal; other boroughs have their own platforms with different interfaces, document upload requirements, and technical quirks.

Enforcement posture. Some boroughs actively pursue unlicensed landlords through proactive inspections and data matching. Newham has one of the most aggressive enforcement records in London; in a November 2024 East Ham case, court fines and prosecution costs totalled £63,977.19.

HMO Licensing Across London

Separately from selective licensing, HMO licensing operates at two levels:

Mandatory HMO licensing applies nationwide. Any property with five or more people from two or more households needs a licence, regardless of whether the borough has a local scheme.

Additional HMO licensing is a local power. Boroughs can designate areas where smaller HMOs (typically 3-4 persons from 2+ households) also need a licence. Newham operates an Additional scheme alongside its Selective scheme, covering the same 21 wards.

For Landlords With Properties in Multiple Boroughs

Don't assume consistency. Each licence application is borough-specific — you can't transfer a licence between boroughs, and the documents accepted by one portal may not match what another requires. Budget separately for each borough's fees and build a calendar that tracks licence expiry and safety certificate renewal dates per property.

Our Newham landlord licensing guide provides the complete walkthrough for Newham's specific schemes, fees, wards and application process. For other boroughs, check the council's licensing pages directly — the scheme details, fees, and application systems are different.

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