Westminster Landlord Licence Renewal: Process, Fees and What Documents You Need Again

A Westminster landlord licence lasts up to five years. When it expires, compliance does not carry forward — you submit a fresh application, upload current documents and pay the fees again. Track the expiry date printed on your licence and submit the new application before then.

When Renewal Applies

Renewal is needed in two situations. First, when your individual licence reaches its expiry date during the life of a scheme. A selective licence granted in early 2026 might run until late 2030, but one granted in 2028 could expire in 2030 aligned with the scheme's end date — either way, you reapply before the expiry printed on your licence.

Second, when a scheme is formally renewed by the council. Westminster's additional HMO scheme moved from the 2021 designation (expired 30 August 2026) to the 2026 designation (effective 31 August 2026). Every licence under the old scheme became invalid on expiry regardless of how recently it was granted. Landlords had to apply under the new designation.

The Renewal Process

There is no separate renewal form. You submit a new application through the MetaStreet portal — the same process as a first-time applicant. The steps are identical:

1. Verify your property address and ward using the GIS lookup tool
2. Complete the online application form, including fit-and-proper-person declarations for every named person
3. Upload all required documents
4. Pay the Part A fee (non-refundable processing fee)
5. Wait for assessment and draft licence decision
6. Part B fee is auto-debited once the licence is approved

Renewals use the same application route as first-time applications. Valid existing documents may be re-uploaded if they meet current requirements.

Which Documents Can Be Reused

Some documents from your original application may still be within their validity periods:

• EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report): valid for five years, so an EICR from your first application may still cover the renewal if it was issued within the past five years and shows no C1 or C2 defects
• EPC (Energy Performance Certificate): valid for ten years — almost certainly reusable
• Floor plans: acceptable if no structural changes have been made since the original submission

Other documents expire annually and will need fresh copies:

• Gas Safety Certificate (CP12): must be dated within the last 12 months
• Fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates: where applicable, must be current

Upload the valid originals rather than expired ones. The council checks validity dates during assessment, and an expired document results in a request for further information that delays the licence grant.

Fees on Renewal

Renewal fees are the same as initial application fees. There is no renewal discount:

The standard discounts still apply: 10% off Part B for approved accreditation, including LLAS or NRLA membership; 10% off Part B for an EPC rating of C; 20% off Part B for an EPC rating of B or above; and £125 off Part A for the second and subsequent applications submitted together for self-contained flats in the same freehold block, where ownership and management control are identical. These discounts must be claimed at the time of application — retrospective claims are not accepted.

Timing the Renewal

Apply before your current licence expires. A duly made application protects against prosecution under sections 72(4) and 95(3) of the Housing Act 2004 while the council processes it; that protection does not cover a gap before the application is duly made.

Allow time for the council's assessment and submit well before your licence expires.

When the Scheme Itself Is Not Renewed

If Westminster does not re-designate the selective licensing scheme before it expires in November 2030, licences issued under it simply run until their individual expiry dates. No renewal application would be needed (or accepted) after the scheme lapses. The property would only need a licence again if the council makes a fresh designation — or if its occupancy changes to trigger additional or mandatory HMO licensing.

For the full fee breakdown, document checklist and renewal planning calendar, see the Westminster Landlord Licensing guide.

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