Do I need a landlord licence in London Borough of Lambeth?

London Borough of Lambeth currently operates selective licensing and additional HMO licensing. Whether you need a licence depends on the property location, type, and occupancy. Use the postcode checker on this page or contact the council directly to confirm.

How much does a property licence cost in London Borough of Lambeth?

Based on our current data, licence fees in London Borough of Lambeth are approximately: Additional HMO Licensing (Borough-wide): £1,560; Mandatory HMO Licensing: £2,600; Selective Licensing - Phase 1 (4 wards): £923; Selective Licensing - Phase 2 (19 wards): £923. Fees can vary and may include discounts for early applications. Always check the latest fees on the council website before applying.

Does mandatory HMO licensing apply in London Borough of Lambeth?

Yes. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across all of England, including London Borough of Lambeth. It covers properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more separate households. You must apply to London Borough of Lambeth for a mandatory HMO licence if your property meets these criteria.

What happens if I rent without a licence in London Borough of Lambeth?

Operating a licensable property without the correct licence can lead to enforcement action. For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, GOV.UK guidance refers to civil penalties of up to £40,000 for relevant offences, with different treatment for breaches and for offences committed before that date. Earlier cases may still be assessed under previous rules. Tenants or local authorities may be able to apply for a rent repayment order. GOV.UK guidance now refers to up to two years' rent for relevant offences, but eligibility, timing and the final amount depend on the facts and tribunal decision. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 notices can no longer be used for existing or new private tenancies in England. Transitional rules may still matter for notices served before that date.

Enhanced research coverage

Landlord licensing in London Borough of Lambeth

London

We currently show scheme records, official links, and supporting research for this council.

Council website

Licensing scorecard

Enhanced coverage

Our current data shows active local licensing signals. Verify the latest boundaries, dates, fees, and exemptions with the council.

Selective licensing

Active selective

Additional HMO licensing

Active additional

Mandatory HMO licensing

Applies across England

Source confidence: High
Boundary confidence: Low
Public register: Clear searchable register (1/5)
Last reviewed: 27 March 2026
Next review due: Not scheduled
Sources recorded: 17

Open the official council source

Our current data is a research summary, not a legal record. This should be verified with the council before letting, purchasing, refinancing, or taking legal action. Mandatory HMO licensing may still apply even where no local additional or selective scheme is recorded.

Recommended next step

Verify the position with the official council source

Our current data shows an active local scheme and a clear area match. The fastest reliable next step is to confirm the current fees, dates, boundaries, and exemptions on the official council source before letting, purchasing, refinancing, or taking legal action.

Check the official council source Get a written property licensing check

What still adds uncertainty

At least one scheme uses street or custom-area boundaries, so a postcode match can only be approximate.
Mandatory HMO licensing can apply based on occupancy and households, which cannot be confirmed from a postcode alone.

Buying, refinancing, or completing conveyancing? A due diligence report pulls the licensing position together with the official routes so the risk is documented before you commit. This is an information service and is not legal advice.

Verify with the council

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.

Verify on official council licensing page Council website Report an inaccuracy

Council updates

Get updates for London Borough of Lambeth

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.

Free, occasional licensing updates only. You can unsubscribe at any time.

If you need more than the council page

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 property-specific PDF licensing report with a verification email template, current scheme fees, and a £30,000 risk context block — delivered to your inbox automatically.

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Licensing Due Diligence Report

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A more tailored, more decision-oriented, and more risk-focused review for higher-stakes property decisions.

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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.

See alerts and monitoring

These are information services, not legal advice. Final reliance should still be checked against council sources.

Check a postcode in London Borough of Lambeth

Enter a postcode to see whether it appears to fall within a licensing scheme area, then verify the result with the council.

Local licensing scheme records

Additional LicensingActive

Additional HMO Licensing (Borough-wide)

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.

HMO licence fee: £1,560
Fee guide: £520 per habitable room (room used for sleeping). Example: a 3-bedroom HMO = £1,560; a 5-bedroom HMO = £2,600. The fee is split into two parts: approximately two-thirds (Part A) payable on application, and the remainder (Part B) payable on approval of the licence. The fee applies per self-contained flat for Section 257 HMO applications. £75 fixed discount for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council, applied to the Part B fee. The previous 20% accreditation discount and renewal discount have both been removed. Discounts are not applicable where the council has made two requests for additional supporting documents or served a warning letter for failure to license.
Discount available: £75 fixed discount for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council, applied to the Part B fee. The previous 20% accreditation discount and renewal discount have both been removed. Discounts are not applicable where the council has made two requests for additional supporting documents or served a warning letter for failure to license.
Scheme period: 9 December 2021 - 8 December 2026
Typical licence term: 5 years
Coverage: Borough-wide

Research notes

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.

Verify on official council page

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 LicensingActive

Selective Licensing - Phase 1 (4 wards)

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.

Licence fee: £923
Fee guide: £923 per property, payable in two parts. Part A: £650 (payable on application submission, covers administration costs). Part B: £273 (payable when the licence has been approved and before the licence is issued, covers managing and enforcing the licensing regime). £50 discount applied to the Part B fee for properties with an EPC rating of C or better. £75 discount applied to the Part B fee for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council. Discounts for multiple flats in the same block: the full fee of £923 applies to the first flat, and a £100 discount applies to Part A fees for all subsequent flats in the same block. Discounts are not applicable where the council has served a warning letter for failure to license.
Discount available: £50 discount applied to the Part B fee for properties with an EPC rating of C or better. £75 discount applied to the Part B fee for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council. Discounts for multiple flats in the same block: the full fee of £923 applies to the first flat, and a £100 discount applies to Part A fees for all subsequent flats in the same block. Discounts are not applicable where the council has served a warning letter for failure to license.
Scheme period: 2 September 2024 - 1 September 2029
Typical licence term: 5 years
Coverage: See council website for boundaries

Research notes

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.

Verify on official council page

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 LicensingActive

Selective Licensing - Phase 2 (19 wards)

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.

Licence fee: £923
Fee guide: £923 per property, payable in two parts. Part A: £650 (payable on application submission). Part B: £273 (payable when the licence has been approved). Same fee structure as Phase 1. £50 discount applied to the Part B fee for properties with an EPC rating of C or better. £75 discount applied to the Part B fee for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council. Discounts for multiple flats in the same block: the full fee applies to the first flat, and a £100 discount applies to Part A fees for all subsequent flats in the same block. Discounts are not applicable where the council has served a warning letter for failure to license.
Discount available: £50 discount applied to the Part B fee for properties with an EPC rating of C or better. £75 discount applied to the Part B fee for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council. Discounts for multiple flats in the same block: the full fee applies to the first flat, and a £100 discount applies to Part A fees for all subsequent flats in the same block. Discounts are not applicable where the council has served a warning letter for failure to license.
Scheme period: 1 September 2025 - 31 August 2030
Typical licence term: 5 years
Coverage: See council website for boundaries

Research notes

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.

Verify on official council page

Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.

Public licensing register

Councils must keep a public register of licensed properties. How easy it is to use varies a lot between councils.

Public register found: Yes
Search method: Search online
Register usability: Clear searchable register (1/5)

HMOAdditional (unconfirmed)Selective

Appears to cover HMO and selective licences - always confirm scope on the register itself.

Register notes

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.

Open the public register

The council register and official source pages should be treated as the source of truth. Our summary is a guide to help you find and use them, not a substitute for the live register. How public registers work.

Research summary

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

Research notes

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.

Council contact details

Email: PRSLicensing@lambeth.gov.uk
Phone: 020 7926 4444

Important to verify

Exact Part A / Part B split for HMO fees (only the 2:1 ratio is confirmed; exact pound amounts per room for each part not published in accessible sources)
Mandatory HMO scheme formal start date (national scheme, ongoing)
Whether the £100 block discount for multiple flats applies identically to both Phase 1 and Phase 2 selective licences
Any recent council change that could affect the current public summary.

Supporting sources

Mandatory HMO licensing

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.

Not sure whether the rules apply? Use the HMO licence checker to check whether a property may need an HMO licence, then verify the current position with London Borough of Lambeth.

Council-specific HMO detail we currently show

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.

HMO fee guide: £2,600
Fee notes: £520 per habitable room (room used for sleeping), for up to a maximum of 5-year licence period. Example: a 5-bedroom HMO = £2,600. The fee is split into two parts: approximately two-thirds (Part A) payable on application, and the remainder (Part B) payable on approval of the licence. Kamma quotes £2,530 for 5+ bedrooms but the formula of £520 per room yields £2,600 for a 5-room property; the discrepancy may reflect a different room count or a prior fee level. £75 fixed discount for accredited landlords and members of professional bodies recognised by the council, applied to the Part B fee. The previous 20% discount for accredited landlords has been removed. Discounts are not applicable where the council has made two requests for additional supporting documents or served a warning letter for failure to license.
Typical licence term: 5 years

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.

View HMO licensing info on council website

Other compliance requirements

In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12) - renewed annually
EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) - every 5 years
EPC rating of E or above - required before letting
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms - checked at start of tenancy
Deposit protection - within 30 days of receiving deposit
Right to Rent checks - before tenancy starts

View full compliance checklist →

Common questions about licensing in London Borough of Lambeth

Do I need a landlord licence in London Borough of Lambeth?: London Borough of Lambeth currently operates selective licensing and additional HMO licensing. Whether you need a licence depends on the property location, type, and occupancy. Use the postcode checker on this page or contact the council directly to confirm.
How much does a property licence cost in London Borough of Lambeth?: Based on our current data, licence fees in London Borough of Lambeth are approximately: Additional HMO Licensing (Borough-wide): £1,560; Mandatory HMO Licensing: £2,600; Selective Licensing - Phase 1 (4 wards): £923; Selective Licensing - Phase 2 (19 wards): £923. Fees can vary and may include discounts for early applications. Always check the latest fees on the council website before applying.
Does mandatory HMO licensing apply in London Borough of Lambeth?: Yes. Mandatory HMO licensing applies across all of England, including London Borough of Lambeth. It covers properties with 5 or more occupiers forming 2 or more separate households. You must apply to London Borough of Lambeth for a mandatory HMO licence if your property meets these criteria.
What happens if I rent without a licence in London Borough of Lambeth?: Operating a licensable property without the correct licence can lead to enforcement action. For offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, GOV.UK guidance refers to civil penalties of up to £40,000 for relevant offences, with different treatment for breaches and for offences committed before that date. Earlier cases may still be assessed under previous rules. Tenants or local authorities may be able to apply for a rent repayment order. GOV.UK guidance now refers to up to two years' rent for relevant offences, but eligibility, timing and the final amount depend on the facts and tribunal decision. From 1 May 2026, Section 21 notices can no longer be used for existing or new private tenancies in England. Transitional rules may still matter for notices served before that date.

Still unsure? Choose the next step that fits you

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.