Hammersmith and Fulham Council property licensing 2026: schemes, fees and areas

Which areas are covered

Do I need a licence?

• An HMO with five or more people forming two or more households: yes, mandatory HMO licence.
• A smaller HMO inside an additional licensing area: yes, additional licence.
• Any privately rented home inside a selective licensing area: yes, selective licence.

How to apply and what it costs

Apply on the Hammersmith and Fulham Council website. Published fees: Selective licensing £755 per licence (£80 discount for members of an accredited landlord body such as the NRLA or London Landlord Accreditation Scheme, or £50 discount for signing the landlord rental charter; only one discount per licence); Additional HMO licensing £755 per licence (£80 discount for members of an accredited landlord body such as the NRLA or London Landlord Accreditation Scheme, or £50 discount for signing the landlord rental charter; only one discount per licence); Mandatory HMO licensing £1,656 for a 5-bedroom HMO plus £183 for each additional bedroom (£80 accredited landlord or £50 rental charter discount; only one discount per licence).

Penalties for letting without a licence

The council's licensing FAQs say a landlord without a required licence can be given a financial penalty of up to £30,000 instead of being prosecuted. Its Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2026 explains how penalty amounts are set, including civil penalties under the Renters' Rights Act 2025.

What else to know about Hammersmith and Fulham Council

• Licence fees for 2026/27 are paid in two parts. Mandatory HMO fees are split 25% (processing) and 75% (management and enforcement). Additional HMO and selective fees are split 50/50, and Part 2 can be refunded if the licence is not granted.
• When the schemes were renewed in 2022, selective licensing was cut from 128 streets to 24. Sixteen of the 24 streets were already in the previous scheme.
• Section 257 HMOs need an additional licence only if none of the flats is owner-occupied, the building is not owned or managed by two or more of the flat leaseholders, and the building is not on a selective licensing street.
• The council says applications must be made online and, because of a technical problem, landlords should type in the address by hand rather than use the postcode lookup.
• The council publishes registers of licensed HMOs and selective licences as spreadsheets (latest dated 5 October 2026). A copy of the full register costs £54.
• If 7 or more people live in an HMO, planning permission for a change of use is needed as well as the HMO licence.

Landlord compliance checklist

Licensing is one part of compliance. Use the compliance checklist, and if you’re starting a tenancy, the compliance pack.