London
HMO licensing in Southwark
London Borough of Southwark requires a mandatory licence for HMOs occupied by 5 or more people from 2 or more households. It also runs additional licensing (bringing smaller HMOs into licensing) and selective licensing (covering other privately rented homes in designated areas). The published licence fee starts at £1,575.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional + Selective
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £1,575
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Southwark
Southwark's borough-wide Additional HMO Licensing (3-4 person HMOs and certain section 257 HMOs) came into force on 1 March 2022 and ceases on 1 March 2027. Selective Licensing Designations 1 and 2 (Newington, Champion Hill, Faraday, Goose Green, St Giles) also run 1 March 2022 to 1 March 2027, while Designations 3 and 4 (ten further wards including Peckham, Old Kent Road, Rye Lane, Dulwich Hill) run 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2028. No renewal consultation has been announced yet.
- In force from
- 1 March 2022
- Scheme ends
- 1 March 2027
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,575, and £1,575 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Southwark charges licences in two parts. Mandatory HMO licensing (rate to 31 March 2026): Part A £1,102.50 + Part B £472.50 = £1,575 total for the first 5 lettings, plus £73.50 (Part A) and £31.50 (Part B) per additional letting above 5; from 1 April 2026 this rises to Part A £1,157.50 + Part B £496 = £1,653.50, plus £110 per letting above 5. Additional HMO licensing costs £1,365.10 total (Part A £969.20 + Part B £395.90), rising to £1,433 from April 2026. Selective licensing costs £945 total (Part A £661.50 + Part B £283.50), unchanged for 2026/27. Section 257 HMO licences are free. Gold Standard Charter landlords get 50% off Part B (or no Part B charge at all if also signed up to the finders'-fee scheme); registered charities providing below-market-rent or specially adapted housing get 50% off both parts. An invoice fee (£57.80, rising to £60.50 from April 2026) and a paper-application surcharge (£171.20, rising to £179.70) apply where relevant.
Check the current fee on the council website (southwark.gov.uk) before you apply.
Additional and selective licence fees
Fees for council-designated schemes are set separately from the mandatory HMO fee. Figures are the standard full-rate fee for a new licence, before any discounts.
Additional licence
£1,433
Additional HMO licence, single fee for all additional-licensing HMOs (no per-occupancy banding), current rate from 1 April 2026, paid in two parts (Part A £1,017.50 on application + Part B £415.50 when approved). Section 257 HMOs are £0.
Gold Standard Charter landlords get 50% off the Part B fee (no Part B fee if also signed up to the finders' fee scheme); registered charities providing below-market-rent or specialist housing get 50% off Parts A and B. Extra charges apply for invoice payment (£60.50) and paper applications (£179.70) unless there is a valid reason such as disability.
Scheme: From 1 March 2022 to 1 March 2027
Checked 2 October 2026 against southwark.gov.uk
Selective licence
£945
Selective licence for a single privately rented property in a designated selective licensing ward, standard fee (unchanged after 1 April 2026), paid in two parts (Part A £661.50 on application + Part B £283.50 when approved)
Gold Standard Charter landlords get 50% off the Part B fee (no Part B fee if also signed up to the finders' fee scheme); registered charities providing below-market-rent or specialist housing get 50% off Parts A and B. Extra charges apply for invoice payment (£60.50) and paper applications (£179.70) unless there is a valid reason such as disability.
Scheme: From 1 March 2022 to 1 March 2027
Checked 2 October 2026 against southwark.gov.uk
Minimum room sizes
| Double bedroom (2 persons aged 10+) | 10.22 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard, SI 2018/616). |
|---|---|
| Single bedroom (1 person aged 10+) | 6.51 m² minimum floor area (national HMO space standard, SI 2018/616). |
| Room occupied by a child under 10 | 4.64 m² minimum floor area; any room below this cannot be used as sleeping accommodation at all (SI 2018/616). |
National minimums for licensed HMOs are 6.51 m² for one adult and 10.22 m² for two adults; councils can apply higher local standards.
Fire safety requirements
- Smoke alarms fitted and kept in working order on every storey used as living accommodation.
- Escape routes kept clear of obstruction, with fire doors fitted where required and maintained.
- Carbon monoxide alarms required in any room containing a solid fuel burning appliance.
- Fire-fighting equipment provided where appropriate to the property's layout and size.
Kitchen, bathroom and amenity standards
- Adequate kitchen facilities for storing, preparing and cooking food, appropriate to the number of occupiers.
- Adequate number of bathrooms and toilets for the number of occupiers sharing them.
- All shared amenities kept in good decorative repair, clean condition and proper working order.
Documents you will need
- Gas safety certificate (CP12) — Current annual gas safety record required for every gas appliance in the property.
- EICR — Electrical Installation Condition Report confirming the fixed wiring is safe, required under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020.
- EPC — Valid Energy Performance Certificate for the property.
Sources
Compiled from the council’s own published pages and documents; data reviewed September 2026. Rules and fees change, so always confirm with London Borough of Southwark before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.