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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 Richmond upon Thames, 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 Richmond upon Thames.
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 Richmond upon Thames 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.
Keep the informational journey first. Use the free checker, the £29 review, or alerts only if you want help resolving uncertainty or tracking future change.
Free checker
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Check a postcode, open the council page, and use the guides before paying for anything.
Best for: Useful when you want a practical first pass on one property or area.
Delivery: Instant result with council and guide links
Property Licensing Check
Live now
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
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.
We currently do not show active selective or additional licensing schemes for London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. That can still leave uncertainty, because councils can change schemes, mandatory HMO licensing may still apply, and the property setup or intended occupancy can change the answer.
These public research signals help show how recently this page was reviewed and what still needs checking before you rely on it.
Last reviewed
28 March 2026
Research confidence
Medium (62/100)
Sources checked
3
Data sourced from multiple corroborating official Richmond Council web pages (HMO landing page, apply for HMO licence page, HMO register page, HMO standards page) and the official HMO application form PDF. Fee schedule (application fee + £647 grant fee per bedroom band, 3–10+ bedrooms) confirmed from the apply_for_a_hmo_licence page and independently corroborated by London Property Licensing (third-party, verified as of June 2025). Absence of selective and additional licensing confirmed by Richmond's own pages, London Property Licensing, legislate.tech, and web search results. The shared service arrangement with Merton (tri-borough Regulatory Services Partnership) is confirmed by multiple sources including search summaries quoting Merton's operational address in connection with Richmond's HMO licensing. Register URL (rspandlp.merton.gov.uk) confirmed from the HMO register page and register details page. Register size (96 properties as of June 2025, last updated 2023) from London Property Licensing. Cost for full register copy (£50) confirmed from both Richmond's HMO register page and London Property Licensing. No Article 4 Direction confirmed by London Property Licensing as of June 2025. Fees stated as of June 2025; the Appendix B Fees and Charges cabinet document (effective 1 April 2025) was identified but could not be read in full due to PDF encoding issues.
The online register contains the HMO licence number, property address, and the start and end dates of each licence. Owner/licence holder personal data (names and addresses) is withheld from the public online register; this information is only included in the full register available on request. As of June 2025, 96 licensed HMOs were listed, though the register appeared to have last been updated in 2023 and contained some licences that had since expired. To request a full copy of the register (including licence holder details), email privatehousing@merton.gov.uk. The council is authorised under Housing Act 2004 section 232 to charge £50 for producing the register.
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 Richmond upon Thames.
National mandatory licensing scheme applying borough-wide to large HMOs — properties occupied by five or more people from two or more separate 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. Administered by the London Borough of Merton on behalf of Richmond upon Thames as part of a tri-borough Regulatory Services Partnership. Applications are submitted via the shared Regulatory Services Hub portal (rspandlp.merton.gov.uk); alternatively, a paper application form can be downloaded from richmond.gov.uk/media/24017/hmo_application_form.pdf. Payment is accepted by BACS transfer or cheque. Upon submission of a complete application, landlords may operate the HMO as though licensed until the council makes its determination. The council then reviews the application, arranges a property inspection, and communicates any required modifications or licence conditions. Richmond estimated approximately 60–70 licensable HMOs in the borough (2019 estimate), increasing slightly since. No HMO Article 4 Direction is in place; planning permission is not required for C3-to-C4 change of use.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames 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.
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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