Selective Licensing in Waltham Forest

Waltham Forest is now firmly in the Newham / Lewisham camp: mandatory HMO licensing, borough-wide additional HMO licensing, and from 1 May 2025 a replacement selective licensing scheme covering 20 of 22 wards. Almost every rental in the borough needs a licence.

Scheme status, area and dates

Selective licensing (single-lets and 1-2 sharers)

• New scheme: London Borough of Waltham Forest Designation for an Area for Selective Licensing 2025.
• Start date: 1 May 2025.
• End date: 30 April 2030.

Area covered: Applies to 20 of the 22 wards in Waltham Forest, excluding:

• Endlebury
• Hatch Lane and Highams Park North.

Selective licensing covers all privately rented properties let to either an individual, a single family or up to two unrelated sharers in those 20 wards unless exempt or already HMO-licensed.

This replaces the previous 2020-2025 selective scheme, which already covered most of the borough.

Additional and mandatory HMO licensing (for context)

• Additional licensing: extended borough-wide, requiring a licence for most HMOs (typically 3-4 occupiers) across all wards.
• Mandatory licensing: applies to HMOs with 5+ occupiers in 2+ households (standard national rule).

London Property Licensing confirms Waltham Forest now operates all three schemes simultaneously.

Fees (2026)

From the council's "How much does a property licence cost?" page (updated February 2026):

Selective licence:

• Full fee: GBP 895 per property.
• Split:
• Part A: GBP 447.50 (on application).
• Part B: GBP 447.50 (on grant).
• Multi-property discounts: GBP 125 off Part B for some "multiple properties" under the same licence holder.

Additional HMO licence:

• Full fee: GBP 1,200.
• Part A: GBP 600.
• Part B: GBP 600.

Mandatory HMO licence:

• Up to 8 units: GBP 1,650 (825 + 825).
• 9-19 units: GBP 2,200 (1,100 + 1,100).
• 20+ units: GBP 5,500 (2,750 + 2,750).

No discounts apply if the council has already had to investigate failure to licence (warning letters etc.) before you apply.

Conditions, enforcement and exemptions

Licence conditions

Selective licences carry standard conditions around:

Property condition and safety:

• Property must be free from serious hazards.
• Smoke alarms, CO alarms, gas safety, EICR, EPC.

Management:

• Licence holder must be "fit and proper".
• Maintain the property, deal with repairs promptly.
• Provide tenants with contact details and written tenancy agreements.

Tenancy management:

• Proper deposit protection.
• Procedures to tackle antisocial behaviour (warnings, working with council / police).

Additional and mandatory HMO licences add further conditions on:

• Room sizes and maximum occupancy.
• Kitchen and bathroom ratios.
• Fire precautions and escape routes.

Enforcement and RROs

Waltham Forest has a reputation for heavy enforcement.

The council has been actively using civil penalties and RROs under both HMO and selective regimes.

Tribunals have repeatedly backed Waltham Forest's approach, including:

• London Borough of Waltham Forest v Marshall (2018) - increased penalties where non-compliance was deliberate.
• A 2025 decision in 50 Lancaster Road, E17 where the tribunal granted an RRO after finding the landlord had failed to obtain an additional licence; the tribunal noted the borough-wide schemes and limited patience for "I did not know" defences.

The council routinely states that unlicensed properties can attract:

• Civil penalties up to GBP 30,000 per offence.
• Rent Repayment Orders up to 12 months' rent.

It also uses social media to remind landlords that schemes are ending and renewing, and that failure to apply in time will lead to enforcement action.

Exemptions

From the "Property licence exemptions" page:

The selective scheme (20 wards) has exemptions set out in the designation, including:

• Properties already under mandatory or additional HMO licences.
• Certain registered provider / social landlord properties.
• Long leaseholder-occupied properties.
• Some business tenancies and holiday lets.

The council refers landlords to the designation notice for the precise list.

Application process

Landlords must:

• Use the council's online PRPL portal to check if they need a licence and apply.
• Pay Part A at application, Part B when the licence is ready to be granted.

The council expects applications:

• By the expiry date of an existing licence, or
• From commencement of letting for a newly rented property.

If the council has to chase you, you lose access to some discounts and may face enforcement action.

Impact on the local market and landlord response

From Waltham Forest business cases, consultation, and trade coverage:

Reasons for extension:

• High levels of poor property conditions.
• Persistent antisocial behaviour linked to some PRS properties.
• A desire for consistent PRS management across most of the borough.

Market impact: The first 2020-25 schemes brought thousands of properties into licensing, leading to hazard removal and better management in many HMOs and single-lets. The new 2025-30 selective scheme reflects the council's belief that licensing is working and must continue; government approval and fee uplifts (from GBP 700 to GBP 895) indicate confidence.

Landlord response: Landlord bodies have criticised fee increases and scheme breadth, but the Secretary of State approved the replacement selective scheme. Some landlords have sold or shifted investment elsewhere; others factor GBP 895 selective, GBP 1,200 additional, GBP 1,650 mandatory into their business plans. Housing charities and local tenant groups have broadly supported the schemes as necessary to tackle poor standards.

What forums get wrong about Waltham Forest

Myth 1: "The selective scheme ended in 2025, so single-lets are licence-free again."

Reality: The original scheme ended 30 April 2025, but a replacement selective licensing scheme started 1 May 2025, covering 20 of 22 wards and running to 30 April 2030.

Myth 2: "Selective licensing is just for HMOs; my family let is exempt."

Reality: Selective licensing applies to single households and up to two sharers in the 20 wards; HMOs have their own mandatory/additional licences and are exempt from selective only because they are already licensed, not because they are family lets.

Myth 3: "Fees are low and the council doesn't really enforce."

Reality: Fees are among the higher London band (GBP 895 selective, GBP 1,200 additional, GBP 1,650+ mandatory), and Waltham Forest has a strong record of civil penalties and RROs, with tribunal decisions repeatedly backing the council's stance.

Myth 4: "You can wait until the council writes to you before applying."

Reality: Fee policy explicitly removes discounts once the council has had to investigate non-licensing, and enforcement action is much more likely if they have to chase you.

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