Lewisham HMO licence costs from £1,404 for 5 years. Know the occupancy thresholds, application fees and £30,000 penalty for unlicensed properties.
Lewisham's mandatory HMO licensing scheme requires any property occupied by 5 or more people forming 2 or more households to hold a valid licence — and failure to apply before letting begins is not a defence against prosecution.
What Triggers HMO Licensing in Lewisham?
The mandatory national threshold applies across the London Borough of Lewisham: any property rented to 5 or more persons from 2 or more separate households, sharing facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom, requires a mandatory HMO licence. This threshold has been in force since October 2018, when the government extended mandatory licensing from the previous threshold of 3 storeys or more. Properties do not need to span multiple floors to qualify — a single-storey flat housing 5 sharers from different households meets the threshold and must be licensed.
Lewisham also operates additional and selective licensing schemes covering specific wards, which can capture smaller HMOs with as few as 3 occupants. Landlords must check whether their property postcode falls within a designated zone, as the council reviews and renews these schemes on a rolling basis, with the current additional licensing designation covering properties occupied by 3 or more persons forming 2 or more households in qualifying areas.
What Does an HMO Licence Cost in Lewisham?
Lewisham Council charges a fee structured in two stages. The application fee is paid upfront and is non-refundable regardless of outcome. For a mandatory HMO licence, the full 5-year fee is £1,404 for properties with 5 occupants, with an incremental charge applied for each additional occupant above that base number. Landlords holding accreditation through a recognised scheme such as the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS) may qualify for a discounted rate, so it is worth confirming current eligibility before submitting an application.
Licence fees are paid for a 5-year term. There are no annual renewal instalments — the full amount is due at the point of application. A licence granted in 2024 will therefore expire in 2029, and landlords must begin the renewal process before that expiry date to avoid any gap in compliance. Late renewal does not carry a grace period under current Lewisham policy.
How Do You Apply for an HMO Licence in Lewisham?
Applications are submitted through Lewisham Council's online licensing portal. The council targets a decision within 12 weeks of receiving a complete application, though complex cases or those requiring a property inspection may take longer. Landlords should apply before tenants move in — operating without a licence, even during a processing delay, remains a criminal offence if the property meets the licensing threshold.
The nominated licence holder must be the most appropriate person — typically the property owner — and must demonstrate they are a fit and proper person. A managing agent can be named as the manager, but the licence holder bears overall legal responsibility. A licence can be issued for a period shorter than 5 years if the council has concerns about the property's condition or the licence holder's conduct.
What Documents Do You Need?
A complete application requires the following before the council will process it: a valid gas safety certificate dated within the last 12 months, an electrical installation condition report (EICR) carried out within the last 5 years, evidence of working smoke alarms on every floor and a carbon monoxide detector in every room with a gas or solid fuel appliance, and an up-to-date Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The property must achieve a minimum EPC rating of E or above — properties rated F or G cannot be legally let under current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations.
Landlords must also provide a floor plan of the property showing room sizes, as Lewisham enforces minimum room size standards set nationally at 6.51 square metres for a single adult and 10.22 square metres for 2 adults sharing a room. Rooms below these measurements cannot be used as sleeping accommodation regardless of what a tenancy agreement states.
What Happens If You Don't Have a Licence?
Operating an HMO without a licence in Lewisham is a criminal offence and a civil matter simultaneously. The council may issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per offence, or pursue prosecution through the magistrates' court, where an unlimited fine can be imposed. A record of either outcome may render a landlord unfit to hold a future licence.
A Rent Repayment Order (RRO) adds a further financial risk: tenants — or Universal Credit authorities — can apply to the First-tier Tribunal to reclaim up to 12 months' rent paid during any period the property was unlicensed. For a property generating £2,000 per month, that exposure reaches £24,000 before any council penalty is applied. Courts have awarded RROs in full even where the landlord claimed ignorance of the licensing requirement.
Landlords who knowingly let unlicensed HMOs and ignore enforcement notices face inclusion on the Rogue Landlord Database, which is publicly searchable and affects the ability to operate in multiple London boroughs.
What This Means for Lewisham Landlords
The practical steps are straightforward: check whether your property meets the 5-person threshold or sits within an additional licensing zone, gather the required safety certificates, and submit a complete application before the property is occupied by qualifying tenants. A 5-year licence at £1,404 costs roughly £281 per year — a modest outlay compared with a £30,000 civil penalty or the loss of 12 months' rental income through an RRO. Lewisham Council's enforcement team is active, and the borough's landlord licensing data is used proactively to identify unlicensed properties rather than relying solely on tenant complaints.
| Council | Licence Type | Fee (5-year) | Occupancy Threshold | Scheme Expiry | Accreditation Discount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewisham | Mandatory HMO | £1,404 | 5+ persons, 2+ households | 2029 (est.) | Yes – LLAS eligible |
| Southwark | Mandatory HMO | £1,558 | 5+ persons, 2+ households | 2026 | Yes – LLAS eligible |
| Newham | Selective (borough-wide) | £750 | Any private rental | 2025 | Yes – LLAS eligible |
| Greenwich | Mandatory HMO | £1,300 | 5+ persons, 2+ households | 2027 | Yes – LLAS eligible |
| Lambeth | Mandatory HMO | £1,456 | 5+ persons, 2+ households | 2028 | Yes – LLAS eligible |
| Bromley | Mandatory HMO | £1,100 | 5+ persons, 2+ households | 2028 | No current discount |
| Croydon | Mandatory HMO + Additional | £1,350 | 3+ persons in designated zones | 2026 | Yes – LLAS eligible |
The mandatory HMO licence fee in Lewisham is £1,404 for a 5-year licence covering a property with 5 occupants, with incremental charges for each additional occupant above that number. Accredited landlords may qualify for a reduction.
Mandatory licensing is triggered when 5 or more persons from 2 or more separate households share a property. In designated additional licensing zones within Lewisham, the threshold can be as low as 3 persons from 2 households.
Lewisham Council can issue a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per unlicensed HMO. Tenants can also apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order covering up to 12 months' rent, which at £2,000 per month equals up to £24,000.
Lewisham Council targets a decision within 12 weeks of receiving a complete application. Incomplete applications or those requiring a property inspection may take longer. Landlords should apply before tenants occupy the property, as there is no grace period for unlicensed operation.