Wandsworth HMO Licensing: Additional vs Mandatory Schemes Explained
Two HMO Licensing Schemes Run Borough-Wide
Wandsworth operates two separate HMO licensing schemes that cover the entire borough — not just specific wards like selective licensing. Which one applies depends on how many people live in the property and how many separate households they form.
Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties occupied by five or more people forming two or more households who share at least one basic amenity (kitchen, bathroom, or toilet). This is a national scheme under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004, and it applies regardless of which ward the property sits in.
Additional HMO licensing applies to properties occupied by three or four people forming two or more households who share basic amenities. Wandsworth launched this scheme borough-wide on 1 July 2025, and it runs until 30 June 2030. It also covers flats in purpose-built blocks of three or more self-contained units where three or four sharers from different households live together.
The distinction matters because the fees, conditions, and application details differ between the two schemes.
How to Tell Which Scheme Applies
The decision hinges on headcount and household structure:
| Occupants | Households | Licence needed |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person or a couple | 1 | None (unless in a selective ward) |
| 2 unrelated sharers | 2 | None (unless in a selective ward) |
| 3–4 people, 2+ households, sharing amenities | 2+ | Additional HMO licence |
| 5+ people, 2+ households, sharing amenities | 2+ | Mandatory HMO licence |
"Household" has a specific legal definition. A family unit — spouses, civil partners, cohabiting couples, parents, children, siblings, step-relatives — counts as one household. Three unrelated friends sharing a flat form three separate households, even if they're all on one joint tenancy. The tenancy agreement structure doesn't change the household count.
How HMO Licensing Differs from Selective Licensing
Selective licensing targets single-household lets and two-sharer properties in seven specific wards. HMO licensing targets shared properties with three or more occupants from multiple households, and it covers the whole borough.
A property can only need one type of licence. The scheme that applies is determined by occupancy, not by the landlord's choice. If three unrelated people share a flat in Tooting Broadway (a Designation 1 selective ward), the property still needs an additional HMO licence, not a selective licence — because the HMO threshold is met.
The same logic applies upward: five sharers from different households in any part of Wandsworth need a mandatory HMO licence, regardless of whether the property is in a selective ward.
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Section 257 Converted Blocks
Converted blocks of flats — buildings split into self-contained units where the conversion didn't meet the 1991 Building Regulations and fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied — are classified as Section 257 HMOs. Wandsworth's additional licensing scheme excludes these blocks as whole structures.
But individual flats within a Section 257 block can still require a licence. A flat let to three or four sharers from different households needs an additional HMO licence. A flat let to five or more needs a mandatory HMO licence. And a flat let to a single household or couple in a selective ward needs a selective licence. The exclusion applies to the converted block structure, not to the individual letting arrangements inside it.
Fees at a Glance
| Scheme | Part A | Part B | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional HMO | £903 | £604 | £1,507 |
| Mandatory HMO (3 units) | £1,036 | £675 | £1,711 |
| Mandatory HMO (5 units) | £1,152 | £675 | £1,827 |
| Mandatory HMO (10 units) | £1,442 | £675 | £2,117 |
Mandatory HMO fees scale with the number of lettable units. Discounts — accreditation (£104 off Part B), EPC grade B or C (£52–£104 off Part B), multi-dwelling (£104 off Part A) — apply to both HMO schemes.
Planning Permission and the 1-Year Licence Trap
A property with seven or more occupants falls into Sui Generis use under planning law, which requires planning permission or a Lawful Development Certificate. If a property needs planning permission and applies for an Additional or Mandatory HMO licence without it, Wandsworth won't automatically refuse the licence but will reduce its period from five years to one year. That means renewal fees hit much sooner and the council expects you to resolve the planning situation within that year.
Wandsworth does not currently have a borough-wide Article 4 direction restricting C3 to C4 conversions, so converting a dwelling into a small HMO for up to six people generally falls under permitted development rights.
The full application process — portal steps, documents, fees with worked discount examples, and conditions — is laid out in our Wandsworth Landlord Licensing guide.
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