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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 Merton, 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 Merton.
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 Merton 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 with 3 or 4 occupants from two or more separate households who share facilities (kitchen and/or bathroom) in seven designated wards. Also covers Section 257 HMOs — converted blocks of flats where fewer than two-thirds of the flats are owner-occupied and the conversion did not comply with relevant Building Regulations. Approximately 1,000+ properties estimated to require a licence. Approved by Cabinet on 19 June 2023 following public consultation (14 November 2022 – 22 January 2023). Approximately 700 unlicensed HMOs were identified in the designated wards at the time of approval.
The additional licensing scheme was introduced concurrently with selective licensing on 24 September 2023. Both schemes run for five years, expiring on 23 September 2028. The same seven wards are also subject to an Article 4 Direction (confirmed 19 April 2023) requiring planning permission for C3-to-C4 HMO conversions. Property types covered: Smaller HMOs with 3–4 unrelated occupants sharing kitchen and/or bathroom; Section 257 HMOs (converted blocks of flats with fewer than two-thirds owner-occupied units built not in compliance with Building Regulations). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already required to have a mandatory HMO licence. Properties let or managed by local housing authorities or Registered Providers. Properties subject to a management order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004. Properties holding a temporary exemption notice. Owner-occupied residences. Holiday lets. Long leases (21+ years). Charity-managed HMOs. Student accommodation directly managed by educational institutions. Single-family dwellings. Properties with up to two unrelated occupants..
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 borough-wide to large HMOs — properties occupied by five or more people from two or more households who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets, or cooking facilities. Applies to the standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test HMO definitions under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. From 1 October 2018, applies regardless of the number of storeys.
Mandatory HMO licensing is a national scheme with no fixed end date. The fee for a standard 5-person shared house is £1,774.88. Applications must be submitted as soon as the property is occupied as an HMO; there is no grace period for operating unlicensed. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities; houses, bedsits, and mixed self-contained/non-self-contained buildings meeting the HMO definition. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flat in a block of three or more self-contained flats. Properties managed by local housing authorities or Registered Providers (housing associations). Properties subject to a temporary exemption notice. Owner-occupied residences. Holiday lets. Long leases (21+ years). Charity-managed HMOs providing specific services (shelters, recovery facilities). Student accommodation directly managed by educational institutions. Single-family dwellings. Properties with up to two lodgers..
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 in four designated wards occupied by a single household or up to two unrelated sharers, excluding HMOs covered by mandatory or additional licensing. Over 5,000 properties estimated to require a selective licence. Approved by Cabinet on 19 June 2023 following public consultation (14 November 2022 – 22 January 2023). The four wards are a subset of the seven additional licensing wards. Rationale: high incidence of poor property conditions, Category 1 housing hazards, and anti-social behaviour linked to the private rented sector in these areas.
The selective licensing scheme was launched concurrently with additional HMO licensing on 24 September 2023. As of June 2023, Merton estimated over 5,000 properties across the four wards would require selective licences. The scheme is on 23 conditions covering gas safety, electrical safety, furniture regulations, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, tenancy agreements, tenant referencing, deposit protection, buildings insurance, EPC provision, and waste management. Cabinet received a progress update in March 2025 (report by Keith Burns); licensing income for 2023/24 was £375,945 and for 2024/25 to December 2024 was £350,399. Property types covered: All privately rented properties not requiring mandatory or additional HMO licensing, including single household properties and properties occupied by up to two unrelated sharers. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already required to hold a mandatory or additional HMO licence. Holiday homes. Student halls of residence. Properties managed by local housing authorities. Registered social landlords (Registered Providers). Houses occupied by members of the owner's family. Properties subject to a temporary exemption notice (available if the property will cease to be licensable within three months). Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order under Part 4 of the Housing Act 2004..
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
Medium (67/100)
Sources checked
14
Data sourced from multiple corroborating official Merton Council web pages (licensing landing page, selective licence page, additional HMO page, mandatory HMO page, fees page, apply page, consultation page) and cross-referenced with London Property Licensing (third-party) and Kamma (third-party). Fee schedules (Part A and Part B for all three schemes) confirmed from the official fees page. Scheme start/end dates (24 September 2023 – 23 September 2028) confirmed from London Property Licensing and Kamma, consistent with the 5-year duration stated on official council pages. Ward coverage confirmed from official consultation page and London Property Licensing, with discrepancy noted (Kamma lists 8 wards for additional licensing including Lower Morden; all official sources list 7 wards). Cabinet approval date (19 June 2023) and consultation dates (14 November 2022 – 22 January 2023) confirmed from official consultation page. Mandatory HMO fee schedule (per unit, 2–10 units) confirmed from official fees page. Public register status confirmed as not available online from London Property Licensing. The March 2025 Cabinet update report (author: Keith Burns) was identified but could not be read in full due to PDF encoding; headline licensing income figures were obtained from web search summaries of that report.
Merton does not publish an online public register for its property licensing schemes (selective, additional HMO, or mandatory HMO). To inspect the register, contact the Housing Enforcement Team: privaterented.licensing@merton.gov.uk or telephone 020 8545 3212. The council's Civic Centre address is London Road, Morden, Surrey SM4 5DX.
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 Merton.
National mandatory licensing scheme applying borough-wide to large HMOs — properties occupied by five or more people from two or more households who share amenities such as bathrooms, toilets, or cooking facilities. Applies to the standard test, self-contained flat test, and converted building test HMO definitions under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004. From 1 October 2018, applies regardless of the number of storeys.
Mandatory HMO licensing is a national scheme with no fixed end date. The fee for a standard 5-person shared house is £1,774.88. Applications must be submitted as soon as the property is occupied as an HMO; there is no grace period for operating unlicensed. Property types covered: Large HMOs with 5+ occupants from 2+ households sharing facilities; houses, bedsits, and mixed self-contained/non-self-contained buildings meeting the HMO definition. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flat in a block of three or more self-contained flats. Properties managed by local housing authorities or Registered Providers (housing associations). Properties subject to a temporary exemption notice. Owner-occupied residences. Holiday lets. Long leases (21+ years). Charity-managed HMOs providing specific services (shelters, recovery facilities). Student accommodation directly managed by educational institutions. Single-family dwellings. Properties with up to two lodgers..
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Merton 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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