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We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.
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This page includes the scheme records we currently hold, but council policies and boundaries can change. Treat it as a researched starting point and verify the latest position on the official council pages before acting.
Based on publicly available information, we show the licensing status we currently hold for Royal Borough of Greenwich, highlight mandatory HMO rules, and link you to official council sources for verification where we currently have them.
Confirm the current scheme boundary, licence fee, exemptions, application route, and any recent policy changes on the council website before making decisions.
Our current data is based on publicly available information. Always verify the latest licensing position, scheme boundaries, fees, and exemptions with Royal Borough of Greenwich.
We research council licensing information from public sources and present it as general guidance. We do not replace the council's own licensing pages or legal advice.
Council updates
We will email you if Royal Borough of Greenwich introduces, renews, or changes a licensing scheme. Free, occasional updates only. Always verify final requirements on the council website.
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This page may already answer a lot of the question. Use the paid products only if you want a quicker written summary, a more risk-focused view, or ongoing monitoring.
Property Licensing Check
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A concise written review for one property, postcode, or council situation based on current public council-source information.
Best for: Best for landlords, agents, and buyers who want written clarity quickly on one case.
Delivery: Concise report by email, usually within 2 working days
Licensing Due Diligence Report
Coming soon
A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.
Best for: Best for buyers, investors, agents, landlords refinancing, and conveyancers handling material decisions.
Delivery: Analyst-reviewed report with stronger risk framing
Alerts and monitoring
Coming soon
A lighter monitoring tier for selected councils or areas, aimed at landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates.
Best for: Best for landlords and smaller investors who want ongoing updates without building their own tracking process.
Delivery: Monthly monitoring and change alerts
These options are designed to save research time, improve clarity, and support decision-making. Final reliance should still be tied back to the relevant council and, where necessary, professional advice.
Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.
Discretionary borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme requiring owners and managing agents to licence smaller HMOs with three or more residents from two or more households sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Runs alongside the mandatory HMO scheme. Also covers certain section 257 HMOs (converted blocks with less than two-thirds owner-occupation). Scheme approved at Cabinet meeting on 20 September 2023 and came into force 1 January 2024.
This is the second consecutive borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme. The previous scheme (2017-2022) was reviewed in October 2022 by M·E·L Research and found to have been successful, though a significant number of smaller HMOs remained unlicensed. Consultation for the new scheme ran from 13 January to 24 April 2023 (relaunched after a poorly advertised first consultation from 9 November 2022 to 18 January 2023); over 60% of respondents supported the proposal. The scheme was approved 20 September 2023 and implemented 1 January 2024. End date calculated as 5 years from start date (31 December 2028). Property types covered: Smaller HMOs with 3+ occupants from 2+ households sharing amenities; section 257 HMOs (certain converted blocks of flats with less than two-thirds owner-occupation) not already covered by mandatory licensing. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already licensed under mandatory HMO licensing. Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004. Properties subject to a temporary exemption notice under section 62 of the Act. Registered social landlord properties..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
National mandatory licensing scheme under Housing Act 2004, applying borough-wide to HMOs occupied by five or more people forming more than one household who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets and cooking facilities. Also covers section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats that do not meet building regulations).
National statutory scheme with no designation start or end date. The fee structure is shared with the additional HMO licensing scheme. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities; section 257 HMOs (certain converted blocks of flats not meeting building regulations). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 properties subject to a temporary exemption notice under section 62 of the Act registered social landlord properties..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Selective licensing scheme covering all privately rented properties let to a single household or two unrelated individuals in five designated wards in central Woolwich and Plumstead. A postcode/address lookup tool is available at royalgreenwich.gov.uk to verify whether a specific property falls within the scheme area. Properties already licensed under mandatory or additional HMO licensing are exempt from selective licensing.
The scheme designation report is available at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/downloads/download/1251/selective_licensing_designation_report. The scheme covers areas with above-average concentrations of privately rented properties and was introduced to tackle anti-social behaviour and rogue landlord activity. Civil penalties of up to £30,000 apply for non-compliance. Landlords in violation also face unlimited court fines and may be subject to Rent Repayment Orders covering up to 12 months' rent. Section 21 possession cannot be used while the property is unlicensed. An address lookup tool is available at royalgreenwich.gov.uk/homepage/484/selective_licencing_scheme_lookup. Property types covered: All privately rented properties let to a single household or two unrelated individuals; houses and flats rented to individual families, couples, and single people. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already licensed under mandatory or additional HMO licensing are exempt. Registered social landlord properties are exempt. Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order. Properties covered by a temporary exemption notice. Exemptions under SI 2006/370 apply..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
First borough-wide additional HMO licensing scheme covering smaller HMOs with 3-4 unrelated occupants sharing facilities. Preceded the current 2024-2028 scheme. There was a gap between expiry (30 September 2022) and the start of the replacement scheme (1 January 2024) during which only mandatory HMO licensing applied to smaller HMOs.
Independent review by M·E·L Research in October 2022 found the scheme had been successful in improving HMO conditions, reducing anti-social behaviour and fly-tipping, but noted that a significant number of smaller HMOs remained unlicensed. This review informed the decision to introduce a successor scheme. Property types covered: Smaller HMOs with 3-4 unrelated occupants sharing facilities.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
27 March 2026
Research confidence
High (74/100)
Sources checked
18
Data sourced from multiple corroborating official and reputable third-party sources. Selective licensing scheme dates (1 October 2022 to 30 September 2027), wards covered, and fee (£872.59) confirmed from official council news pages, London Property Licensing, and Kamma. Additional HMO scheme start date (1 January 2024), Cabinet approval (20 September 2023), and borough-wide coverage confirmed from official council news pages and London Property Licensing. Previous additional HMO scheme dates (2017-2022) confirmed from multiple sources. HMO fee structure (£508.50 per letting up to 5, then £305.10 per additional) confirmed from London Property Licensing (fees current as of July 2025) and from the council's fees page. Public register URL (greenwich.metastreet.co.uk/public-register) confirmed from London Property Licensing. The additional HMO scheme end date (31 December 2028) is calculated as 5 years from the start date of 1 January 2024; this is consistent with the approved 5-year duration but the exact end date was not directly stated on official pages and is inferred. Kamma data confirms no new schemes are currently planned or under consultation as of August 2024.
The public register includes all three licence types: Mandatory HMO, Additional HMO, and Selective licences. The PDF register includes licence reference numbers, property addresses, licence holders, ward, start/end dates, and number of units. The MetaStreet online register allows live searching. A February 2026 PDF edition is available for download from the council website.
Supporting sources
All councils in England must operate mandatory HMO licensing. This applies to properties with 5 or more occupants forming 2 or more separate households, regardless of location. If your property meets these criteria, you must apply for a mandatory HMO licence from Royal Borough of Greenwich.
National mandatory licensing scheme under Housing Act 2004, applying borough-wide to HMOs occupied by five or more people forming more than one household who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets and cooking facilities. Also covers section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats that do not meet building regulations).
National statutory scheme with no designation start or end date. The fee structure is shared with the additional HMO licensing scheme. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities; section 257 HMOs (certain converted blocks of flats not meeting building regulations). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 properties subject to a temporary exemption notice under section 62 of the Act registered social landlord properties..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Royal Borough of Greenwich summary into the most relevant next action for your property, role, or research task.
Landlord with a standard let→
Start with a postcode if you want a property-specific route before relying on the council summary alone.
Shared occupancy or possible HMO→
Use the HMO checker if occupier numbers, households, or room-sharing could change the answer.
Check if a property has an HMO licence→
Use this if you need to check whether a property holds an HMO licence, or find the council's public HMO register.
Investor, buyer, or conveyancer→
Use the due diligence guide if this council page is part of a purchase, refinance, or pre-letting review.
Letting agent or portfolio manager→
Preview the monitoring route if you need ongoing watchlists and recurring scheme-change visibility.
Understand selective licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader legal background on how selective licensing works alongside this council page.
Understand additional licensing rules→
Read the guide if you want the broader background on how additional HMO licensing works alongside this council page.
Need the local HMO route→
Use the additional licensing page if the real question is whether a smaller shared house needs a local licence here.
Tenant checking landlord compliance→
Use the tenant guide if you rent a property and want to check whether your landlord holds the right licence.
Important disclaimer
This tool provides general information about landlord licensing schemes in England. Results are based on publicly available data and may not reflect recent changes. This is not legal advice. Always verify licensing requirements directly with your local council before making decisions.
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