News

Landlord licensing consultation underway in Croydon

Monday, November 24th, 2025 - Croydon Council

In its drive to improve the condition and quality of private rented accommodation, Croydon Council is consulting on proposed new landlord licensing schemes.

According to the council, 31.2% of Croydon’s housing stock is privately rented, which is well above the national average of 19%.

Additional licensing

Alongside the mandatory HMO licensing scheme, the Council is proposing a borough wide additional licensing scheme. This would extend licensing to include smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) occupied by three or four people.

Croydon Council say the scheme would focus on tackling poor property conditions and poor property management.

Selective licensing

Croydon Council are also proposing a selective licensing scheme focused on 14 council wards. This would extend licensing to all private rented homes within the designated area.

The intention of the scheme is to address poor property conditions. Licence conditions would require landlords to ensure properties are fit for purpose, providing evidence of fire safety and proper tenancy agreements, with proactive property inspections.

The 12-week consultation is being run from Tuesday 21 October to Monday 12 January 2026 on M.E.L Research’s website.

Subject to approval, the council have said these new schemes could come into force by mid-2026.

Jason Perry, Executive Mayor of Croydon said:

“It’s important that we as a Council do what we can to make sure all residents live in good quality homes. Licensing schemes like we are proposing allow the Council to be more proactive when it comes to the private rented market and not just be reliant on tenants complaining about issues.

“Licensing can also be beneficial for landlords who will get support from the Council to deal with difficult situations and take action against bad tenants.

“We now want to hear the views of all those likely to be affected by the proposals, including local tenants, landlords, managing agents and members of the community who live, operate businesses or provide services in the proposed designated areas and/or the surrounding areas. I encourage anyone with an interest to get involved and have their say during the consultation.”

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