South East
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 Woking, 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 Woking.
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 Woking 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
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
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
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.
Borough-wide scheme covering the entire Woking Borough Council administrative area. Applies to all HMOs with 3 or more people (including children) who form more than one household, share basic facilities (toilet, bathroom or kitchen), where at least one tenant pays rent and the property is their primary residence. Also applies to live-in landlords with 3 or more lodgers. This scheme covers smaller HMOs not already captured by mandatory HMO licensing (i.e. 3–4 person HMOs).
Designated under sections 56–60 of the Housing Act 2004. Decision approved by the Executive on 11 September 2025 (report reference EXE25-094). An earlier Executive decision on 12 June 2025 (EXE25-072) approved proceeding with the consultation and applying new HMO licence conditions from 1 July 2025. Consultation ran from 27 June to 31 August 2025 (approximately 10 weeks). Consultation materials were available in multiple languages on request. The scheme was introduced as the council previously only had oversight of large HMOs (5+ occupants) under mandatory licensing. The scheme aims to ensure consistent standards and property conditions in all shared properties across the borough. Landlords who failed to apply by 5 January 2026 face a penalty: licences granted after that date may be restricted to 1 year rather than 3, and civil penalty notices up to £30,000 may be issued. The council expected high application volume at scheme launch; processing of additional licensing applications may initially take longer than the standard 8-week target. Property types covered: HMOs with 3–4 occupants from 2 or more households sharing basic facilities,Properties let as HMOs where at least one occupant pays rent as their primary residence,Properties occupied by a live-in landlord with 3 or more lodgers. Exemptions or exclusions: Properties already licensed under mandatory HMO licensing (5 or more occupants from 2 or more households) Certain properties exempt under Housing Act 2004 Schedule 14.
Our current data shows this scheme based on public information. Always verify the latest fees, dates, and boundary wording on the official council page.
England-wide mandatory scheme administered locally by Woking Borough Council. Applies to all HMOs in Woking with 5 or more people (including children) from 2 or more households who share basic facilities and use the property as their primary residence. Also applies to live-in landlords with 4 or more lodgers.
The mandatory licensing scheme pre-dates the additional licensing scheme. New licence conditions were applied to both mandatory and additional licences from 1 July 2025, as approved by the Executive on 12 June 2025. Application processing target is 8 weeks from validation of a complete application. Contact: property.licensing@woking.gov.uk. Property types covered: HMOs with 5 or more occupants from 2 or more households sharing basic facilities,Properties occupied by a live-in landlord with 4 or more lodgers. Exemptions or exclusions: Certain properties exempt under Housing Act 2004 Schedule 14.
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 scheme covering the Canalside ward (parts of Maybury and Woking town centre). All private rented properties in the designated area, including houses, flats, shared houses, and bedsits, were required to hold a licence. Individual flats within multi-flat buildings also required separate licences if let to tenants.
The scheme was designated following a Full Council decision on 19 October 2017 and ran from 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2023 (5 years). Canalside ward was selected due to the high number of private rented properties and the number of prosecution cases against private landlords in the area. The scheme resulted in a £245,000 net shortfall in income across Selective and HMO Licensing. Woking Borough Council decided not to renew the scheme following its expiry. The council noted that whilst property standards were generally good, the scheme identified landlords who would benefit from clearer standards. Following closure, the council adopted an updated set of amenity standards for the whole borough and continued engaging Canalside landlords through newsletters and forums. There is no current or planned replacement selective licensing scheme as of March 2026. Property types covered: All privately rented properties (single household and shared) within the designated Canalside area. Exemptions or exclusions: Owner-occupied properties Properties exempt under 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
High (82/100)
Sources checked
16
Core scheme details (start date, coverage, fees, designation) confirmed from official Woking Borough Council web pages and council moderngov documents. Fee schedule confirmed from the council's own licensing costs page. The designation date of 11 September 2025 (Executive decision EXE25-094) is confirmed. Selective licensing history (Canalside ward, 2018–2023) is well-documented from multiple sources including the council website and Surrey Property Licensing. The £560 selective licensing fee is from a third-party source (Surrey Property Licensing) and could not be confirmed on the council's own (now partly unavailable) selective licensing pages.
Register published under section 232 of the Housing Act 2004. Covers both mandatory and additional HMO licences (from 5 January 2026 the register includes additional licensing properties). No charge to view; certified copies of the register incur a fee. The CSV file was updated in January 2026 (indicated by the file path date stamp). No online searchable portal — access is via download or in person.
The selective licensing scheme ended 31 March 2023. The public register relates to the now-expired Canalside ward scheme. No new selective licensing register is being maintained.
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 Woking.
England-wide mandatory scheme administered locally by Woking Borough Council. Applies to all HMOs in Woking with 5 or more people (including children) from 2 or more households who share basic facilities and use the property as their primary residence. Also applies to live-in landlords with 4 or more lodgers.
The mandatory licensing scheme pre-dates the additional licensing scheme. New licence conditions were applied to both mandatory and additional licences from 1 July 2025, as approved by the Executive on 12 June 2025. Application processing target is 8 weeks from validation of a complete application. Contact: property.licensing@woking.gov.uk. Property types covered: HMOs with 5 or more occupants from 2 or more households sharing basic facilities,Properties occupied by a live-in landlord with 4 or more lodgers. Exemptions or exclusions: Certain properties exempt under Housing Act 2004 Schedule 14.
In addition to licensing, all private landlords in England must comply with these requirements:
Use these routes to move from the Woking 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 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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