Wembley Park Selective Licensing Exemption: What Landlords Need to Know

The One Ward Without Selective Licensing

Of Brent's 22 electoral wards, 21 fall under one of two selective licensing designations. Wembley Park is the sole exception. A single-family household renting a property in Wembley Park does not need a selective licence. Neither does a landlord letting to one person or two unrelated occupants in the ward.

This exemption has been in place since the selective licensing designations were introduced in 2023 and 2024. It was a deliberate decision — the ward's housing stock and tenure profile did not meet the statutory criteria for designation at the time of the council's evidence review.

The Exemption Has Limits

The exemption covers selective licensing only. Wembley Park is still subject to both HMO licensing schemes — mandatory and additional — which apply borough-wide across all 22 wards.

If a Wembley Park property houses three or more people from two or more households who share amenities, it needs an HMO licence:

• Three or four occupants from two or more households → additional HMO licence (£1,040)
• Five or more occupants from two or more households → mandatory HMO licence (£1,040 base)

A landlord who converts a single let into a house share of three or more people from multiple households sharing amenities crosses the HMO licensing threshold even though the property is in the "exempt" ward.

Verifying You Are Actually in Wembley Park

Proximity to Wembley Stadium or Wembley Park Station does not mean your property sits in Wembley Park ward. Streets near the ward boundary may fall in Tokyngton, Preston or Barnhill — all of which require selective licences.

Postcodes are unreliable. HA9, the most common Wembley postcode, spans multiple wards. The only definitive check is Brent Council's interactive address lookup, where you enter the full property address and the system confirms the electoral ward.

If the property is a single-household or two-person let in one of the neighbouring designated wards, a selective licence is required. If its occupancy meets HMO thresholds, the relevant HMO licence applies instead. For a new letting, submit the application before the tenancy starts. Operating without a required licence exposes you to civil penalties of up to £40,000 and tenant Rent Repayment Orders covering up to 24 months of rent.

Planning and Licensing Are Separate

Brent's Article 4 Direction came into force on 1 November 2022 and removes the permitted-development right to convert a C3 dwelling to a C4 small HMO in covered areas, subject to stated exclusions. Check whether the address is covered. Where the Direction applies, planning permission is required for the conversion; an HMO licence is a separate requirement when the occupancy meets an HMO licensing threshold.

What Could Change

Selective licensing designations are time-limited — Designation 1 expires in July 2028, Designation 2 in March 2029. When the council consults on renewal, the coverage could expand to include Wembley Park, or the exemption could continue. There is no automatic change.

For a full guide to all three licensing schemes in Brent and the application process, see our Brent Landlord Licensing Guide.

See more England guides →