Wandsworth Selective Licensing 2026: A Landlord’s Guide

If you let a privately rented property in Wandsworth, there is a good chance you now need a licence — and the consequences of not having one are serious. Wandsworth Council has rolled out selective licensing across seven wards in two phases, with the most recent phase covering East Putney, Northcote, and West Putney coming into force on 1 April 2026. Here is what every affected landlord needs to know.

What Is Selective Licensing?

Selective licensing gives local councils the power to require landlords of privately rented properties — occupied by a single household or two unrelated sharers — to hold a licence. It is separate from mandatory HMO licensing, which covers larger shared houses, and additional licensing, which covers smaller HMOs not caught by the mandatory scheme.

The aim is to raise standards in the private rented sector by making landlords demonstrate they are fit and proper persons and that their properties meet certain conditions.

Which Wandsworth Wards Are Affected?

Wandsworth’s scheme has been introduced in two phases:

Phase 2 runs until March 2031. If your property sits within any of these seven wards, you are required to hold a valid selective licence — or face enforcement action.

In addition to selective licensing, Wandsworth operates a borough-wide additional licensing scheme covering HMOs occupied by three or four people that fall outside mandatory HMO licensing. If your property is a shared house or bedsit HMO, you may need an additional licence rather than — or as well as — a selective licence.

How Much Does a Licence Cost?

The selective licence application fee is £885 per property, split across two instalments:

• Part A: £529 — payable when you submit the application; non-refundable if the application is refused
• Part B: £356 — payable once the council has assessed the application and decided to grant the licence

For HMOs, the fees are higher:

• Additional licence: £1,507 per property (Part A: £903 / Part B: £604)
• Mandatory HMO licence: £1,827 for a five-bedroom property, rising to £2,117 for ten or more bedrooms

Are There Any Discounts?

Yes — Wandsworth offers seven different discounts, though you will not qualify for any of them if you have already received two or more information requests or a warning letter from the council.

• 30% off Part A (early bird): Available until 1 October 2026 for Phase 2 properties — a saving of around £159
• Multiple dwellings discount: £104 off for properties in the same building, under the same ownership, applied for simultaneously
• EPC Band C: £52 off Part B
• EPC Band A or B: £104 off Part B
• Social rented properties: £104 off Part B
• Gold Standard landlords: 40% off Part B (approximately £142 saving)
• Accredited landlords: £104 off Part B — applicable to members of LLAS, NRLA, UKALA, ARLA, RICS, or safeagent

If your Phase 2 property is not yet licensed, applying before 1 October 2026 is the most straightforward way to reduce your costs.

What Documents Do You Need to Apply?

When submitting a licence application, you will need to provide:

• A valid Gas Safety Certificate (where gas appliances are present)
• An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• A floor plan of the property

These are standard documents that compliant landlords should already hold. If any are out of date or missing, arrange them before applying to avoid delays.

What Happens If You Do Not Have a Licence?

Non-compliance carries significant financial and legal consequences:

• A civil financial penalty of up to £30,000 per property, or prosecution in the Magistrates’ Court
• Inability to serve a valid Section 21 notice to end a tenancy
• A Rent Repayment Order — tenants can apply to the Residential Property Tribunal to reclaim up to 12 months’ rent paid during an unlicensed period
• An entry on the Mayor of London’s Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker

These are not minor administrative inconveniences. A single unlicensed property could cost a landlord tens of thousands of pounds, as well as damaging their ability to manage or regain possession of their portfolio.

How Many Properties Are Affected?

The scale of the scheme is considerable. Wandsworth Council estimated that around 7,154 properties will require a selective licence and a further 2,520 will need an additional licence. As of March 2026, just over 500 properties had been licensed under the selective scheme — meaning a large proportion of landlords who need a licence have yet to apply.

Given that Wandsworth had only 1,521 accredited landlords as of January 2026 — below the London average — there is a real risk that many landlords are unaware of their obligations or are delaying action.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does selective licensing apply to all private rented properties in Wandsworth?

No. Currently it applies only to properties in the seven wards listed above. However, the borough-wide additional licensing scheme applies to qualifying HMOs across the whole borough.

I rent out a property to three sharers. Do I need a selective licence?

Probably not — properties occupied by three or more unrelated people are typically classed as HMOs and fall under mandatory or additional licensing rather than selective licensing. You should check which scheme applies to your specific property.

Can my letting agent apply on my behalf?

Yes. A managing agent can submit the application, though the licence itself is issued to the landlord as the property owner.

What if my property is in Phase 1?

Phase 1 launched on 1 July 2025. If you have not yet applied, you are already operating without a licence and should do so immediately. The early bird discount for Phase 1 ended on 31 December 2025.

Staying Compliant

Licensing is one layer of a broader set of landlord responsibilities in the private rented sector. Alongside securing the correct licence, landlords must maintain properties to a safe standard, carry out regular safety checks, and comply with tenancy deposit rules and Right to Rent obligations. Understanding the full cost of letting a property — including licensing fees — is essential for any landlord operating in Wandsworth.

Working with an experienced local letting agent can help you stay on top of these requirements without having to track every regulatory change yourself. For landlords who are also mindful of the risks that come with managing a rental property, professional management provides an additional layer of protection.

Wandsworth’s selective licensing scheme is now fully live, and the window to claim the early bird discount on Phase 2 closes on 1 October 2026. If you are unsure whether your property needs a licence, which scheme applies, or how to put together a compliant application, get in touch with our team — we are happy to help you work through it.