London
HMO licensing in Wandsworth
Wandsworth Borough Council 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 £1,827.
Mandatory licence
5+ people, 2+ households
National scheme
Additional / selective
Additional + Selective
Council-designated schemes
Licence fee
From £1,827
Decision time
Not published
Licensing schemes in Wandsworth
Borough-wide additional HMO licensing (3+ occupants, 2+ households) is in force from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030. Selective licensing Designation 1 (Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway) runs 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2030, and Designation 2 (East Putney, Northcote, West Putney) runs 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031.
- In force from
- 1 July 2025
- Scheme ends
- 30 June 2030
Verified 24 September 2026
Licence fees
The published fee for a new HMO licence is £1,827, and £1,827 to renew. Fees can depend on the number of occupants or lettings, and they are reviewed each year.
Wandsworth charges licences in two parts (Part A on application, Part B on grant). Mandatory HMO licence fees scale by bedroom count: £1,711 total (3 bedrooms: £1,036 Part A + £675 Part B) up to £2,117 (10+ bedrooms), rising by roughly £58 per extra bedroom, with a pro-rata addition above 10 units; the 5-bedroom total (£1,827) is used as the representative figure below. Additional HMO licence: £1,507 total (Part A £903 + Part B £604). Selective licence: £885 total (Part A £529 + Part B £356), with a 30% (£159) early-bird discount on Part A for Designation 2 applications made between 1 April and 1 October 2026. Other discounts: £104 off Part A for multi-dwelling portfolios, £52-£104 off Part B for EPC B/C ratings, 40% off Part B for Gold Standard landlords, and £104 off Part B for accredited landlords.
Check the current fee on the council website (wandsworth.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
£1,507
Additional HMO licence, full fee for a new application, paid in two parts (Part A £903 on application + Part B £604 once the licence is granted); a single published fee that does not vary by number of bedrooms, typically a 5-year licence. Covers HMOs not caught by mandatory licensing (up to four people sharing facilities, and flats in multiple occupation in purpose-built blocks with three or more flats)
The early bird discount for additional licensing ended on 31 December 2025. Current discounts (determined on a full application): multi-dwelling £104 off Part A; EPC rating B or above £104 off Part B; EPC rating C £52 off Part B; provision to the social rented sector £104 off Part B; accredited landlord £104 off Part B; Gold Standard 40% off Part B. Discounts do not apply where the council made two requests for further documents or served a warning letter for failure to license.
Scheme: From 1 July 2025
Checked 2 October 2026 against wandsworth.gov.uk
Selective licence
£885
Selective licence for a privately rented property in a designated ward, full standard fee (no early bird) for a new application, paid in two parts (Part A £529 on application + Part B £356 once the licence is granted), typically a 5-year licence. Designation 1 (from 1 July 2025): Furzedown, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, South Balham. Designation 2 (from April 2026): East Putney, West Putney, Northcote
Early bird: £159 (30%) off Part A, available for designation 2 from 1 April 2026 to 1 October 2026 (ended for designation 1 on 31 December 2025). Other discounts: multi-dwelling £104 off Part A; EPC rating B or above £104 off Part B; EPC rating C £52 off Part B; provision to the social rented sector £104 off Part B; accredited landlord £104 off Part B; Gold Standard £142 (40%) off Part B. Discounts do not apply where the council made two requests for further documents or served a warning letter for failure to license.
Scheme: From 1 July 2025
Checked 2 October 2026 against wandsworth.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 Wandsworth'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 Wandsworth Borough Council before applying. This is general information, not legal advice.