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Southwark

HMO licence applications in Southwark.

Licensing rules in Southwark: which schemes the council runs, what it charges and the documents it asks for. We prepare and submit the application for you.

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Licensing schemes in Southwark

Applies everywhere

Mandatory HMO licence

5 or more people from 2 or more households sharing a kitchen, bathroom or toilet.

Council fee: £1,653.50 for the first 5 lettings (£1,157.50 + £496), +£110 per extra letting. From 1 Apr 2026.

Additional

Additional HMO licence

HMOs of up to 4 people, plus flats in purpose-built blocks of 3+ flats. We confirm whether your address is included before quoting.

Council fee: £1,433 (£1,017.50 + £415.50)

Selective

Selective licence

19 wards: Champion Hill, Newington, Faraday, Goose Green, St Giles, North Walworth, Nunhead & Queen's Road, Old Kent Road, Peckham, Camberwell Green, Chaucer, Dulwich Hill, Dulwich Wood, London Bridge & West Bermondsey, Peckham Rye, Rotherhithe, Rye Lane, South Bermondsey, Surrey Docks.

Council fee: £945 (£661.50 + £283.50)

Do I need a licence in Southwark?

Enter the postcode and who lives there. We'll check it against Southwark Council's current schemes. Free and instant.

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What counts as one household?

One household is a person living alone, or a couple (married, civil partners or living together as a couple), together with any relatives living with them: parents, grandparents, children and step-children, grandchildren, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts, nephews and nieces, and cousins. Foster children and live-in carers or au pairs count as part of the household too.

Examples: a mum, dad, two children and a grandparent are 1 household. Two brothers sharing with a friend are 2 households. Four unrelated sharers are 4 households.

Not sure? Count the bedrooms let to different people or families. In a shared house each separately let bedroom is usually its own household, and a couple sharing a room is one household. If you leave households blank, we'll estimate one household per bedroom.

Free and instant. Covers all 33 London boroughs.

How much is an HMO licence in Southwark?

LicenceCouncil feeOur fee
Mandatory HMO licence£1,654 (first 5 lettings)£400
Additional HMO licence£1,433 (£1,017.50 + £415.50)£350
Selective licence£945 (£661.50 + £283.50)£250

The council's fee for a typical 5-room HMO, as a guide. You pay council fees directly to the council; our fee is separate. Renewals and variations: £150.

Discounts

Gold Standard Charter: 50% off Part B (no Part B with the finders' fee scheme). Charities 50%.

What Southwark Council asks for

Most London councils ask for a gas safety certificate, EICR, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates, fire risk assessment, EPC, floor plans, tenancy agreements and the licence holder's details.

Full document list →

Our prices

Mandatory HMO licence application: £400

Additional HMO licence application: £350

Selective licence application: £250

Licence renewal or variation: £150

Council fees are separate and paid directly to the council.

Applying in Southwark: step by step

  1. Enquiry
    Tell us about the property and who lives there.
  2. Fixed quote
    We confirm which Southwark licence you need and send a price.
  3. Upload documents
    Your private portal shows exactly what we need.
  4. We prepare the pack
    Forms, plans and supporting papers, checked against what Southwark Council asks for.
  5. You sign
    You review the draft and sign the declarations.
  6. Submission & follow-up
    We submit it to Southwark Council and handle routine questions.

Southwark licensing questions

Do I need an HMO licence in Southwark?

If 5 or more people from 2 or more households share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, you need a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in Southwark. Southwark also licenses smaller HMOs under an additional scheme: hMOs of up to 4 people, plus flats in purpose-built blocks of 3+ flats. We confirm whether your address is included before quoting. Selective licensing also applies to single-household lets: 19 wards: Champion Hill, Newington, Faraday, Goose Green, St Giles, North Walworth, Nunhead & Queen's Road, Old Kent Road, Peckham, Camberwell Green, Chaucer, Dulwich Hill, Dulwich Wood, London Bridge & West Bermondsey, Peckham Rye, Rotherhithe, Rye Lane, South Bermondsey, Surrey Docks. Use our free licence checker to see what applies at your address.

How much does an HMO licence cost in Southwark?

Southwark Council's fee for a mandatory HMO licence: £1,653.50 for the first 5 lettings (£1,157.50 + £496), +£110 per extra letting. From 1 Apr 2026. Additional HMO licence: £1,433 (£1,017.50 + £415.50). Selective licence: £945 (£661.50 + £283.50). Our fee for preparing the application is separate: £400 mandatory, £350 additional, £250 selective.

Are there discounts on Southwark licence fees?

Gold Standard Charter: 50% off Part B (no Part B with the finders' fee scheme). Charities 50%. Discounts usually have to be claimed when you apply, so we include the evidence in your pack.

What documents does Southwark Council ask for?

Most London councils ask for a gas safety certificate, EICR, fire alarm and emergency lighting certificates, fire risk assessment, EPC, floor plans, tenancy agreements and the licence holder's details. We check everything before it goes in, and your private portal shows exactly what's still needed.

How do I apply for a licence in Southwark?

We handle it for you. We confirm which licence you need, prepare the forms, plans and supporting documents, and you review the pack and sign the declarations. Then we submit it to Southwark Council and deal with routine questions. Get a fixed-price quote to start.

How long does a Southwark licence last?

Usually up to 5 years. Councils can give a shorter licence, often 1 year, where they have concerns or the property doesn't have planning consent for HMO use.

Information checked on 7 November 2026. Councils change fees every April and review their schemes, so we confirm the current position for your address before quoting.

Nearby boroughs

HMO licence Lambeth · HMO licence Lewisham · HMO licence City of London · HMO licence Tower Hamlets

Tell us about the property.

Get a fixed-price quote. No obligation, and we confirm which licence you need before you pay.

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