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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 London Borough of Lambeth, 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 London Borough of Lambeth.
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 London Borough of Lambeth 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
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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
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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.
Applies to HMOs not covered by mandatory licensing, including properties shared by three or more people who are not all related and share kitchen, toilet, and/or bathroom facilities. Also covers Section 257 HMOs: buildings converted into self-contained flats where less than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied and the conversion did not comply with Building Regulations at the time and still does not comply. Applies borough-wide.
The additional licensing designation was made on 8 September 2021 and came into force on 9 December 2021, ceasing to have effect on 8 December 2026 (5 years) or earlier if the Council revokes it under Section 60 of the Housing Act 2004. Applications are made via the MetaStreet/Civica platform at hmolicensing.lambeth.gov.uk. Contact: hmolicensing@lambeth.gov.uk. Property types covered: Smaller HMOs with 3-4 unrelated occupants sharing facilities, and Section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats where less than two-thirds are owner-occupied and which do not comply with relevant Building Regulations). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already covered by mandatory HMO licensing (5+ persons). Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004 or a Temporary Exemption Notice under section 62 of the Act..
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 applying to HMOs with 5 or more people from more than one household who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets, and cooking facilities. Covers shared houses, bedsits, and converted buildings meeting the standard test, self-contained flat test, or converted building test under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. Applies borough-wide.
Lambeth moved all HMO licence applications to the MetaStreet/Civica platform (hmolicensing.lambeth.gov.uk) in March 2023. An HMO Article 4 Direction covering Streatham Common and Vale and Streatham St Leonard's wards came into force on 11 August 2025, requiring planning permission to convert a C3 dwelling to a C4 HMO (up to 6 occupants). Contact: hmolicensing@lambeth.gov.uk. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained blocks of 3 or more flats are excluded. Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order or a Temporary Exemption Notice are also excluded..
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 for all privately rented properties not covered by mandatory or additional HMO licensing in the designated wards. Covers single-family households and properties occupied by no more than two unrelated sharers. Approved at Lambeth Cabinet meeting on 16 May 2024.
Phase 1 covers the four Streatham-area wards identified as having high levels of anti-social behaviour and poor housing conditions. An HMO Article 4 Direction covering Streatham Common and Vale and Streatham St Leonard's wards came into force on 11 August 2025. Early applications for Phase 2 wards were accepted from 1 August 2025. Applications are made online via the Lambeth licensing portal at lambeth.gov.uk. Contact: PRSLicensing@lambeth.gov.uk / 020 7926 8591. Property types covered: All privately rented properties occupied by a single household or no more than two unrelated sharers, not already requiring mandatory or additional HMO licensing. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties controlled or managed by registered providers of social housing, local housing authorities, police authority, fire and rescue authority, or health service bodies are exempt. Properties occupied by educational establishments or full-time students where managed by the educational establishment are exempt. Properties occupied by religious communities (except Section 257 HMOs) are exempt. Properties subject to exempted tenancies or licences under Schedule 14 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006 are also exempt..
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Large expansion of selective licensing to cover most of the borough, excluding only Vauxhall and Waterloo & South Bank wards. Designation confirmed by Cabinet Member on 23 May 2025 and came into force on 1 September 2025. Applies to all privately rented properties not covered by mandatory or additional HMO licensing. Approximately 48,000+ private rented homes fall within the combined Phase 1 and Phase 2 areas. No Secretary of State approval was required as the designation fell within the statutory thresholds introduced by legislative changes.
Early applications for Phase 2 wards opened on 1 August 2025 (one month before the scheme came into force). The designation was confirmed on 23 May 2025 and is known as the 'London Borough of Lambeth Phase 2 Designations for Areas for Selective Licensing 2025'. The decision not to seek Secretary of State confirmation reflects changes to the selective licensing rules. Cabinet decision to implement Phase 2 was taken on 4 November 2024 following a 12-week public consultation in which roughly two-thirds of respondents supported the scheme. Contact: PRSLicensing@lambeth.gov.uk / 020 7926 8591. Property types covered: All privately rented properties occupied by a single household or no more than two unrelated sharers, not already requiring mandatory or additional HMO licensing. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties controlled or managed by registered providers of social housing, local housing authorities, police authority, fire and rescue authority, or health service bodies are exempt. Properties occupied by educational establishments or full-time students where managed by the educational establishment are exempt. Properties occupied by religious communities (except Section 257 HMOs) are exempt. Properties subject to exempted tenancies or licences under Schedule 14 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Selective Licensing of Houses (Specified Exemptions) (England) Order 2006 are also exempt..
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 (79/100)
Sources checked
17
Core data is corroborated across multiple sources including London Property Licensing (official third-party aggregator), Kamma, official Lambeth Council press releases (love.lambeth.gov.uk), and news articles. The lambeth.gov.uk website itself returns 403 on direct fetch but content is fully confirmed through search results referencing official pages and council press releases. Phase 1 start date (2 September 2024), Phase 2 start date (1 September 2025), all 23 covered wards, additional licensing dates (9 December 2021 to 8 December 2026), fee of £923 (Part A £650 / Part B £273), and HMO fee of £520 per habitable room are all confirmed across multiple independent sources. The £75 fixed accreditation discount (replacing the former 20% discount) and the £50 EPC discount are confirmed. The 5-bedroom fee discrepancy (£2,530 from Kamma vs £2,600 from the £520/room formula) is noted.
The Housing Act 2004 requires Lambeth Council to maintain a public register of all premises licensed as HMOs and all properties licensed under any designation (including selective licensing). The register also includes Temporary Exemption Notices and Interim/Final Management Orders. A separate HMO register information page is available at https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/housing/landlords-licensing/houses-multiple-occupation-hmos/hmo-register. The register is updated as licences are issued.
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 London Borough of Lambeth.
National mandatory licensing scheme applying to HMOs with 5 or more people from more than one household who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets, and cooking facilities. Covers shared houses, bedsits, and converted buildings meeting the standard test, self-contained flat test, or converted building test under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. Applies borough-wide.
Lambeth moved all HMO licence applications to the MetaStreet/Civica platform (hmolicensing.lambeth.gov.uk) in March 2023. An HMO Article 4 Direction covering Streatham Common and Vale and Streatham St Leonard's wards came into force on 11 August 2025, requiring planning permission to convert a C3 dwelling to a C4 HMO (up to 6 occupants). Contact: hmolicensing@lambeth.gov.uk. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained blocks of 3 or more flats are excluded. Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order or a Temporary Exemption Notice are also excluded..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the London Borough of Lambeth 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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