Westminster Landlord Licensing: Selective, Additional and Mandatory Schemes Explained

Westminster City Council runs three separate licensing schemes that between them can catch almost every privately rented property in the borough. If you own a flat or house that you let to tenants, at least one of these schemes probably applies to you — and offences committed on or after 1 May 2026 can carry civil penalties up to £40,000 per offence.

The Three Schemes at a Glance

Selective licensing covers single-household lets and two-sharer properties across 15 of Westminster's 18 wards, split into two designations. It came into force on 24 November 2025 and runs until 23 November 2030. The total fee is £995, split into a non-refundable Part A (£543) and a Part B (£452) charged when the licence is granted.

Additional HMO licensing applies borough-wide to houses in multiple occupation with three or four occupants forming two or more households. Westminster's renewed scheme took effect on 31 August 2026 and runs until 30 August 2031. Licences under the earlier scheme remain valid until their individual expiry dates; renewal applications can be submitted up to three months before expiry. The fee is £1,540 (Part A £855, Part B £685), plus £68 per letting above five.

Mandatory HMO licensing is a national statutory requirement covering HMOs with five or more occupants from two or more households. It applies in all 18 Westminster wards permanently. Fees match the additional scheme: £1,540 base with the same letting surcharge.

Which Scheme Applies to Your Property

The deciding factors are how many people live in the property, how many separate households they form, and which ward the property sits in.

A couple or single tenant in one of the 15 designated wards needs a selective licence. Two unrelated sharers in those same wards also need a selective licence. But if the property is in Pimlico South, St James's or Vincent Square — the three excluded wards — no selective licence is required for a single-household or two-person let.

Once three or more people use a property as their only or main residence, form two or more households and share basic amenities, you move into HMO territory. Three or four occupants from multiple households triggers additional HMO licensing, which applies across all 18 wards regardless of whether the property is in a selective licensing area. Five or more occupants from multiple households means mandatory HMO licensing.

The key trap: postcodes do not map cleanly onto ward boundaries. You need to check your exact address using Westminster's GIS lookup tool, not just your postcode.

Key Dates to Track

• 24 November 2025: Selective licensing went live across 15 wards
• 31 August 2026: Renewed Additional HMO designation takes effect; existing licences remain valid until their individual expiry dates
• 23 November 2030: Selective licensing expires
• 30 August 2031: Additional HMO licensing expires

Mandatory HMO licensing has no expiry — it is a permanent national obligation. Individual licences under all three schemes last up to five years, but they are not transferable. Selling the property or changing the licence holder requires a new application; a change of managing agent should be recorded with the council.

What Happens if You Do Not Apply

For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, Westminster can impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence, and tenants can claim up to 24 months' rent through a rent repayment order. Earlier offences were subject to limits of £30,000 and 12 months' rent.

Once you submit a valid application and the council acknowledges it as "duly made," you are protected from prosecution while the application is being processed. That protection only kicks in after submission, though — sitting on an intent to apply does not count.

For the full step-by-step application process, document checklist, fee calculator and compliance tracker, the Westminster Landlord Licensing Guide walks through every stage from ward verification to licence renewal.

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