Do you need a landlord licence in Southwark?

Whether you need a licence to let a property in Southwark depends on the type of property and exactly where it is. Southwark (London), like every English council, must license larger HMOs, and it can also designate areas for additional or selective licensing. Here’s what each means, what happens if you get it wrong, and how to check Southwark’s current rules.

Licensing in Southwark as at 25 September 2026

Southwark runs selective licensing (5 wards, from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027; 14 more wards, from 1 November 2023 until 31 October 2028) and additional HMO licensing (borough-wide, from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027), on top of mandatory HMO licensing.

Selective licensing

Designations 1 and 2

Area: Champion Hill, Newington, Faraday, Goose Green and St Giles wards

Scheme dates: From 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027

Fee: £945 (Part A £661.50 + Part B £283.50)

Designations 3 and 4

Area: Camberwell Green, Chaucer, Dulwich Hill, Dulwich Wood, London Bridge & West Bermondsey, North Walworth, Nunhead & Queen's Road, Old Kent Road, Peckham, Peckham Rye, Rotherhithe, Rye Lane, South Bermondsey and Surrey Docks wards

Scheme dates: From 1 November 2023 until 31 October 2028

Fee: £945 (Part A £661.50 + Part B £283.50)

Additional HMO licensing

Area: Borough-wide

Scheme dates: From 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027

Fee: £1,433 (Part A £1,017.50 + Part B £415.50) from 1 April 2026; section 257 HMOs £0

Mandatory HMO licensing
Applies everywhere in Southwark, as across England, to HMOs let to five or more people forming two or more households.

Southwark Gold Standard Charter landlords get 50% off Part B.

Sources (checked 25 September 2026)

Designations and fees change. Confirm your exact address and the live fee with Southwark before you apply.

The three types of licence

  • Mandatory HMO licence. Required across England for larger HMOs — typically a property let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This applies in Southwark regardless of any local scheme.
  • Additional HMO licence. Southwark can extend HMO licensing to smaller HMOs in designated parts of its area.
  • Selective licence. Southwark can require a licence for all privately rented homes — including ordinary single-family lets — within a designated area. Larger schemes need government approval, and they’re used in areas with specific housing or anti-social-behaviour concerns.

The penalties for renting unlicensed in Southwark

Letting a property that needs a licence without one is a criminal offence. You risk an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent, and a possible banning order. (Those are the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026, when the Renters’ Rights Act raised them from £30,000 and 12 months.)

How to check Southwark's current schemes

Designations change, so always confirm the live position. Search Southwark’s website for “property licensing” or “landlord licensing”, check whether your postcode falls inside a designated area, and note the licence type, the boundaries and the scheme dates. If in doubt, contact Southwark’s private-sector housing team before you let. The summary above was checked against Southwark’s own licensing page on 25 September 2026.

Never miss a licensing deadline

LandlordReady tracks the licences and certificates each of your properties needs and warns you before they lapse — so a renewal or a new Southwark scheme doesn’t catch you out.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to rent out a property in Southwark?

As at 25 September 2026, Southwark runs selective licensing (5 wards, from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027; 14 more wards, from 1 November 2023 until 31 October 2028) and additional HMO licensing (borough-wide, from 1 March 2022 until 1 March 2027), on top of mandatory HMO licensing. If your property is in a selective licensing area, you need a licence for any privately rented home there — including an ordinary single let — unless it is exempt or licensed as an HMO. If you let an HMO that doesn't need a mandatory licence and falls within additional licensing (borough-wide), it needs an additional HMO licence. A larger HMO (five or more people, two or more households) needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Southwark. Check your exact address on Southwark's licensing page before you let.

How much does a landlord licence cost in Southwark?

Southwark's published fees as at 25 September 2026: Selective licence (Designations 1 and 2): £945 (Part A £661.50 + Part B £283.50). Selective licence (Designations 3 and 4): £945 (Part A £661.50 + Part B £283.50). Additional HMO licence: £1,433 (Part A £1,017.50 + Part B £415.50) from 1 April 2026; section 257 HMOs £0. Fees are set by the council and can change, so confirm the current figure before you apply.

What happens if I rent without a required licence in Southwark?

Renting an unlicensed property that needs a licence is a criminal offence. You can face an unlimited fine or a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and a rent repayment order of up to 24 months' rent (the limits for offences on or after 1 May 2026).

Check landlord licensing in other areas.