London
HMO licensing in Waltham Forest
London Borough of Waltham Forest 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 £1,650.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional + Selective
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £1,650
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Waltham Forest
Borough-wide additional HMO licensing (3+ occupants outside mandatory licensing) is in force from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2030. Selective licensing also applies in 20 of the 22 wards (all except Hatch Lane, Highams Park North and Endlebury) from 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2030.
- In force from
- 1 April 2025
- Scheme ends
- 31 March 2030
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,650, and £1,650 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Waltham Forest splits fees into Part A (application processing) and Part B (post-approval), each typically half the total. Mandatory HMO licence: £1,650 total for up to 8 units (Part A £825 + Part B £825), £2,200 for 9-19 units, or £5,500 for 20+ units. Additional HMO licence: £1,200 total (Part A £600 + Part B £600). Selective licence: £895 total (Part A £300 + Part B £595). Discounts: £125 off per additional property for landlords with multiple licensed dwellings; EPC-rating discounts of £600-£800 off Selective or £800-£1,105 off Additional HMO depending on rating; a £400 charity discount (Selective only). No refunds if a property is sold or stops being let after applying.
Check the current fee on the council website (walthamforest.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
£1,200
Additional HMO licence, full fee for a new application, paid in two parts (Part A £600 on application + Part B £600 once the licence is granted); one fee for all HMO sizes covered by the scheme (three or more occupants outside mandatory licensing), licence up to 5 years
Multi-property discount of £125 per dwelling after the first licence (same building, same ownership/management, applied for together): £1,075 (Part A £475 + Part B £600). EPC discount: rating C £1,105 (£600 + £505); rating A or B £800 (£600 + £200). EPC discounts do not apply where the council had to investigate a failure to license.
Scheme: to 31 May 2030
Checked 2 October 2026 against walthamforest.gov.uk
Selective licence
£895
Selective licence for a privately rented property, full fee for a new application, paid in two parts (Part A £300 on application + Part B £595 once the licence is granted), licence up to 5 years. Scheme covers all wards except Hatch Lane, Highams Park North and Endlebury
Multi-property discount of £125 per dwelling after the first licence: £770 (Part A £175 + Part B £595). EPC discount: rating C £800 (£300 + £500); rating A or B £600 (£300 + £300). Eligible charities £400 (£300 + £100). EPC and charity discounts do not apply where the council had to investigate a failure to license.
Scheme: to 30 April 2030
Checked 2 October 2026 against walthamforest.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; the rating also determines eligibility for Waltham Forest's EPC-linked fee discounts.
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 Waltham Forest before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.