Wandsworth Selective Licensing Scheme (No. 2) started on 1 April 2026

Wednesday, April 1st, 2026 - Wandsworth Council

Date: Wednesday 1 April 2026

About: A second selective licensing scheme came into force in the London Borough of Wandsworth on 1 April 2026 and continues for five years. 

The selective licensing scheme extends licensing to all private rented accommodation occupied by a single household or two unrelated sharers in three council wards.

The three council wards covered by the new selective licensing designation are:

• East Putney
• Northcote
• West Putney

If you are unsure whether your property falls within the designated area, you can use a postcode search facility on the council’s website.

Mandatory HMO and additional licensing 

Most Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) occupied by three or more people are already covered by the mandatory HMO and additional licensing schemes that apply borough wide.   

This includes shared houses, shared flats and bedsit HMOs occupied by three or four people, plus multi-occupied flats in purpose built blocks of flats.

The council have decided to exclude section 257 HMOs from the additional licensing scheme. 

Selective licensing 

There is already one selective licensing scheme that came into force on 1 July 2025, covering four other council wards:

• Furzedown
• South Balham
• Tooting Bec
• Tooting Broadway

How can I apply?

You can apply for mandatory HMO, additional and selective licences on the council’s website. 

To accompany your licence application, the council have told us you will need to supply the following documents:

• Gas Safety Certificate (if applicable),
• Electrical Installation Condition Report, and
• Floorplan

How much will a selective licence application cost?

The selective licence application fee is £885 per property, payable in two instalments (Part A £529, Part B £356).

There is an early bird fee discount for the second selective licensing scheme that equates to 30% of the Part A fee. The early bird discount ends on 1 October 2026.

Other discounts are also available:

• Multiple dwelling discount – for multiple applications in the same building, the same ownership and made at the same time. The discount will be £100 off the Part A fee.

• Energy efficiency discount – a discount of £50 off the Part B fee if the property has a Band C rating and a discount of £100 off the Part B fee if the property has a Band A or B rating.

• Gold Standard discount – a discount of 40% off the Part B fee for landlords who meet the Council’s Gold Standard criteria. More information about the Council’s Gold Standard here.

• Accreditation discount – a discount of £100 off the Part B fee for landlords accredited through the LLAS, NRLA, UKALA, ARLA, RICS or safeagent. 

The Council will not offer these discounts if they have made two requests for additional supporting information or sent a warning letter for failure to license the property.

Looking for more information?

If you need more information, you can contact the council by email: privatehousing@merton.gov.uk.

Risks of non-compliance

Landlords and letting / managing agents that fail to comply with the new scheme risk prosecution in the Magistrates Court or a civil financial penalty of up to £30,000 per property. Other sanctions include Rent Repayment Orders, inability to issue a section 21 notice and an entry in the Mayor of London’s Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker. If is far better to submit the licence application promptly and design out these risks.

London Property Licensing has published a free guide with more detailed information about property licensing and HMO planning rules in the London Borough of Wandsworth, available here.