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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 Westminster, 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 Westminster.
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 Westminster 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
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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.
Borough-wide additional licensing scheme covering HMOs not subject to mandatory licensing. Applies to shared houses or flats where 3 or more people from 2 or more households share facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. Includes purpose-built flats in blocks of 3 or more that are HMOs. Originally included Section 257 HMOs but these were withdrawn from scope on 1 October 2021. Cabinet approved renewal of the scheme on 16 March 2026 ('Recommendations Approved subject to call-in'); the new designation details/start date were not yet publicly published as of 25 March 2026.
Designation made 23 April 2021; came into force 30 August 2021. The end date of 31 August 2026 stated in the original public notice was acknowledged as an error; correct end date is 30 August 2026. Since 2021 the scheme improved over 900 HMOs and protected over 12,000 tenants. The council estimates around 1,784 unlicensed HMOs remain. As of November 2024 approximately 2,062 properties held additional licences. A renewal consultation ran 27 August – 12 November 2025. Westminster Cabinet decision (16 March 2026) approved renewal recommendations subject to call-in. The proposed renewed scheme would again be borough-wide and exclude Section 257 HMOs. Property types covered: Shared houses occupied by 3 or more persons from 2 or more households (below mandatory threshold),Flat shares with 3 or more persons from 2 or more households sharing facilities,Bedsits occupied by 3 or more persons from 2 or more households,HMOs in purpose-built blocks of flats with 3 or more units occupied by 3 or more persons from 2 or more households (where not covered by mandatory scheme). Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already subject to mandatory HMO licensing Section 257 HMOs (buildings fully converted into self-contained flats with no shared facilities) — excluded from scope since 1 October 2021 via partial revocation Properties managed or controlled by a local housing authority or registered social landlord Properties subject to an Interim or Final Management Order.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
Borough-wide mandatory scheme under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 (national scheme). Applies to all HMOs occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. Covers shared houses, bedsits, and mixed buildings with non-self-contained units.
As of November 2024, approximately 272 properties held mandatory HMO licences; the council estimated around 425 mandatory HMOs were unlicensed. Applications and management handled through Westminster's MetaStreet licensing portal at https://westminster.metastreet.co.uk/. Contact: hmo@westminster.gov.uk. Property types covered: Shared houses occupied by 5 or more persons from 2 or more households,Bedsits with shared facilities occupied by 5 or more persons,Converted buildings (non-self-contained) occupied by 5 or more persons from 2 or more households. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of 3 or more flats — these should apply for Additional HMO licensing instead Properties managed or controlled by a local housing authority or registered social landlord.
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 of two selective licensing designations approved by Westminster Cabinet on 19 May 2025. Covers 8 wards with the highest concentration of poor housing conditions. Applies to all privately rented properties let to a single household or up to two unrelated sharers, excluding HMOs already licensed under mandatory or additional licensing schemes.
Applications accepted from 1 October 2025 via Westminster's MetaStreet licensing portal. Cabinet approved the scheme on 19 May 2025. The council accepted up to 8 new applications in a single card transaction for multi-property submissions. Overseas landlords must nominate a UK-based managing agent. Contact for selective licensing: propertylicensing@westminster.gov.uk. Property types covered: All privately rented properties let to a single household,Properties let to a single tenant,Properties let to two unrelated sharers (who do not form an HMO),Properties let as a family home. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already holding a mandatory HMO licence Properties already holding an additional HMO licence Housing association and registered social landlord properties Local authority housing Certain student halls of residence Properties occupied by the owner Registered charities providing accommodation solely for vulnerable persons (fee-exempt but must still 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.
Second of two selective licensing designations, covering 7 wards that suffer from persistent anti-social behaviour in addition to poor housing conditions. Same property type coverage and conditions as Designation 1. Together the two designations cover 15 of Westminster's 18 wards (all except Pimlico South, St James's, and Vincent Square).
Three wards not included in either selective licensing designation: Pimlico South, St James's, and Vincent Square. These wards remain unlicensed for selective purposes, though mandatory and additional HMO licensing still apply borough-wide. The combined effect of the two selective licensing designations alongside the HMO licensing schemes means that the vast majority of Westminster's estimated 56,000 private rented properties (43% of all residential accommodation) now require some form of licensing. Property types covered: All privately rented properties let to a single household,Properties let to a single tenant,Properties let to two unrelated sharers (who do not form an HMO),Properties let as a family home. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already holding a mandatory HMO licence Properties already holding an additional HMO licence Housing association and registered social landlord properties Local authority housing Certain student halls of residence Properties occupied by the owner Registered charities providing accommodation solely for vulnerable persons (fee-exempt but must still 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.
Westminster Cabinet approved renewal recommendations on 16 March 2026 (subject to call-in period). The new designation is expected to replace the existing scheme when it expires on 30 August 2026. Borough-wide coverage is proposed, excluding Section 257 HMOs. Formal designation and start date had not been publicly confirmed as of 25 March 2026.
Renewal consultation ran 27 August – 12 November 2025. Westminster City Council ModernGov portal shows Cabinet decision dated 16/03/2026 with status 'Recommendations Approved (subject to call-in)'. The call-in period must expire before the decision is final. Precise designation date and commencement date for the new scheme were not yet publicly available as of 25 March 2026. Property types covered: Shared houses and flats with 3 or more persons from 2 or more households sharing facilities,Purpose-built blocks of flats occupied as HMOs with 3 or more persons from 2 or more households. Exemptions or exclusions: Section 257 HMOs (fully converted self-contained flats with no shared facilities) — proposed exclusion confirmed in consultation Properties already subject to mandatory HMO licensing.
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
16
Westminster's official website pages were directly accessible and provided authoritative fee data, scheme dates, and ward details. Third-party sources (London Property Licensing, Kamma, LandlordZone, Maskells, Tuckerman Residential) corroborate all key figures. The SelectiveLicensing designation structure (two designations covering 15 wards), fees, discounts, and HMO fees are confirmed from multiple official and third-party sources. The additional licensing renewal decision on 16 March 2026 was confirmed via Westminster's ModernGov decision tracker. The only notable gap is the precise new start date of the renewed additional licensing scheme, which had not been formally published as of 25 March 2026.
Westminster maintains its public register via the MetaStreet property licensing platform at westminster.metastreet.co.uk/public-register. The register covers all licences issued under the mandatory and additional HMO schemes. Properties whose applications are still being processed do not yet appear on the register — only issued licences are listed. The Housing Act 2004 requires every local authority to maintain this public register including any Temporary Exemption Notices and Interim/Final Management Orders. Selective licences are also expected to appear on the same platform. Contact Westminster via webform at https://webforms.westminster.gov.uk/privately-rented-housing-conditions/ for register queries.
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 Westminster.
Borough-wide mandatory scheme under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 (national scheme). Applies to all HMOs occupied by 5 or more persons forming 2 or more households who share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms. Covers shared houses, bedsits, and mixed buildings with non-self-contained units.
As of November 2024, approximately 272 properties held mandatory HMO licences; the council estimated around 425 mandatory HMOs were unlicensed. Applications and management handled through Westminster's MetaStreet licensing portal at https://westminster.metastreet.co.uk/. Contact: hmo@westminster.gov.uk. Property types covered: Shared houses occupied by 5 or more persons from 2 or more households,Bedsits with shared facilities occupied by 5 or more persons,Converted buildings (non-self-contained) occupied by 5 or more persons from 2 or more households. Exemptions or exclusions: Purpose-built self-contained flats in blocks of 3 or more flats — these should apply for Additional HMO licensing instead Properties managed or controlled by a local housing authority or registered social landlord.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the London Borough of Westminster 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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