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Westminster City Council consults on renewing additional landlord licensing scheme

Thursday, August 28th, 2025 - Westminster City Council

Westminster City Council has launched an 11-week public consultation on plans to renew their borough-wide additional licensing scheme for smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). The consultation invites feedback from residents, tenants, landlords, letting agents, and other stakeholders to shape a future scheme, when the present scheme comes to an end in August 2026.

The additional HMO licensing scheme requires shared houses or flats where three or more people from two or more households share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom to be licensed. This covers properties including flat shares, bedsits, and converted flats not captured under mandatory licensing.

Developed as part of the Private Rented Sector Strategy 2021-2025, the additional HMO scheme aims to tackle poor housing conditions and reduce anti-social behaviour through setting a common standard for HMOs (focussed on their specific risks), increasing interventions and targeting rogue landlords.

The council estimates that over 56,000 homes (43% of all residential properties) are in the private rented sector and it wants to improve living conditions for private sector tenants.

In addition to the consultation, earlier this year Westminster City Council confirmed details of a new selective licensing scheme which starts on 24 November. The scheme will cover 15 council wards and extend licensing to cover all properties in the private rented sector unless already licensed under the mandatory HMO or additional licensing schemes.

Cllr Ellie Ormsby, Westminster’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Renters, said:

“Everyone deserves to live in safe and well-managed homes. Since 2021, the Additional Licensing Scheme has improved over 900 HMOs and protected over 12,000 tenants in Westminster through our direct intervention and as good landlords comply with the requirements of the scheme.

“With the largest private rented sector in the country, the council is committed to driving up housing standards and creating a safer, fairer private rented sector. We are determined to continue with the achievements we have made.

“Whether you are a tenant, landlord, letting agent or local stakeholder, your views will be important in shaping the future of the scheme and ensuring a high-quality and attractive provision of private rented housing in Westminster.”

The consultation started on 27 August and continues until 12 November 2025. It seeks feedback from tenants, landlords, letting agents and other stakeholders on how the scheme has worked so far, what could be improved and whether it continues to add improved compliance in the sector.

You can find out more information and take part in the consultation on the council’s website.

More information about Westminster’s selective licensing scheme that start on 24 November 2025 can be found here: www.westminster.gov.uk/selective-licensing.

Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in Westminster is available here.