News

Bexley Council stepping up housing enforcement activity in Belvedere

Thursday, March 26th, 2026 - Bexley Council

Bexley Council have received almost 1,000 selective licence applications since introducing the property licensing scheme in Belvedere ward in January 2025.

The council have said the scheme was introduced to address incidents of anti-social behaviour and poor property conditions. Under the scheme, all private rented properties in Belvedere ward must be licensed unless covered by a statutory exemption.

In the past year, Bexley Council has carried out nearly 100 inspections of licensed properties. Council officers have also visited 150 properties as they step up efforts to find unlicensed properties.

The council say these visits are helping to ensure privately rented homes are safe, well managed and maintained to the standards expected. They intend to continue inspections and investigations as part of its ongoing commitment to improving housing conditions and protecting tenants.

The inspection programme has identified a range of housing hazards requiring attention, including hazards that present a serious risk to the health or safety of the occupant, known as category 1 hazards.

Officers have worked with landlords and managing agents to ensure that these issues are addressed and properties meet the required safety standards.

Tenants have provided positive feedback regarding the condition and management of their homes, highlighting the benefits of the council’s work to monitor and improve housing standards within the area.

Bexley Council already has powers to issue civil penalty notices of up to £30,000, or to prosecute those landlords who fail to license their properties. From 1 May 2026, the upper limit for civil penalty notices is increasing to £40,000.

Bexley Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, Cllr Brian Bishop said:

“The Selective Licensing scheme is designed to improve tenant safety, housing conditions and ensure landlord professionalism as well as reassuring residents in the area that the properties are safe and well looked after.

“As such it is great news that so many of our landlords have already come forward to apply for their selective licence. We are however currently looking into a number of properties that we know are not signed up to the scheme. “I would urge those landlords in Belvedere who have not applied for a licence to do so as soon as possible. If they don’t, they could face a large fine or prosecution.”

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