Landlord licensing in Merton: does your property need a licence?
Merton's selective, additional and mandatory schemes use different ward and occupation tests. Start with the address, household facts and council guidance.
Which licence applies to your property
Selective licensing can apply to single-household lets in four wards; HMO schemes use different occupation tests and boundaries.
Selective licensing
Single-household private rentals in four designated wards, subject to exemptions
Check the precise ward and statutory exemptions. A property requiring an HMO licence is considered under the relevant HMO scheme instead.
Additional licensing
HMOs in the seven designated wards that are not already covered by mandatory licensing
The test depends on occupants, households and accommodation type. Confirm the property facts against Merton's current definition and exemptions.
Mandatory HMO licensing
Any HMO with five or more occupants forming more than one household
This scheme is national and applies regardless of where in the borough the property sits.
Designations are set by ward boundary. Confirm your specific address and the current fee on Merton Council’s private housing pages. This page is general guidance, not legal advice.
A property licence does not grant planning permission. Check Merton's separate HMO planning controls before creating or changing an HMO use.
Why the licensing position needs resolving
Enforcement, rent repayment and possession consequences depend on the offence, evidence and current procedure.
A rent repayment order may be available
Where the statutory conditions are met, a tenant or council may apply for a rent repayment order. The tribunal decides liability and amount on the evidence, subject to the current statutory maximum.
Civil enforcement or prosecution
Operating a licensable property without the required licence can be an offence. Merton may investigate and can use prosecution or a civil financial penalty as permitted by current law.
Possession and management consequences
Licensing defects can affect possession procedure and may lead to licence conditions, remedial work or management action. Obtain advice on the property-specific position before serving notice.
What a licensing review and application scope covers
We separate the initial address check, council application, planning question, remedial work and ongoing condition tracking.
We check the ward, not the postcode
Licensing is designated by ward boundary. We check the council map and occupation information, then identify what still needs confirmation from Merton.
Application support is agreed in writing
Where included in the signed scope, we can assemble information and submit an application as authorised. Merton decides whether to grant it and may request documents, inspections, work or property-specific conditions.
Conditions have named owners and dates
For managed properties, the agreement records who supplies certificates, arranges work, pays fees and tracks each licence condition or renewal date.
Licensing and planning are checked separately
A property licence is not planning permission. Merton has separate HMO planning controls, so a proposed use should be checked with the council before purchase or conversion decisions are made.
Not sure whether your property is caught?
Send us the address and occupation details. We will make an initial council-map check, identify the likely scheme and explain what still needs verification. Merton makes the final licensing decision.
Merton landlord licensing questions
The questions landlords in Mitcham and Colliers Wood ask us most often.
Do I need a landlord licence in Mitcham?
It depends on the precise ward, occupation, accommodation type and any exemption. Selective licensing applies to qualifying single-household lets in Figge’s Marsh, Graveney, Longthornton and Pollards Hill, while HMO licensing uses separate tests. Check the address against Merton's current map.
Does licensing apply in Colliers Wood?
Colliers Wood is inside Merton’s additional licensing designation, which covers smaller houses in multiple occupation — typically three or four unrelated sharers. A standard family let in Colliers Wood is not usually caught by additional licensing, but any property with five or more occupants forming more than one household needs a mandatory HMO licence anywhere in the borough.
What happens if I let an unlicensed property?
Merton can investigate where a property appears to be operating without a required licence. Depending on the facts and current law, consequences can include prosecution or a civil financial penalty, a rent repayment application and effects on possession procedure. Liability and amount are determined through the relevant process rather than assumed from the headline maximum.
How much does a Merton landlord licence cost?
Fees differ by scheme and by the number of bedrooms, and Merton reviews them periodically, so we do not publish a figure that may be out of date. Merton Council publishes current fees and any accredited-landlord discount on its own website — always take the fee from there. We will confirm the applicable fee for your property as part of a management proposal.
How long do Merton’s licensing schemes run?
Merton’s selective and additional licensing designations began on 24 September 2023 and run for five years, to September 2028. Mandatory HMO licensing is a national requirement and is not time-limited. Schemes can be renewed, extended or redesignated, so check the council’s current position before relying on an end date.
Do you handle licensing for landlords you manage?
Where licensing administration is included in the signed management scope, we can check the information supplied, prepare and submit an authorised application and track agreed conditions. The landlord remains responsible for accurate information, fees and any work allocated to them, and Merton makes the licensing decision.
Scheme details reflect Merton’s designations running 24 September 2023 to September 2028. Councils vary fees and boundaries over time — always confirm against Merton Council before acting. Letting in Wandsworth instead? Additional HMO licensing there is borough-wide — see our Wandsworth landlord licensing guide. Related reading: our Mitcham area guide and Colliers Wood area guide.
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