🚨 New Landlord Licensing Rules Coming to Westminster — Act Now!
Brought in by Westminster City Council — Portals Open: 1st October 2025 - Deadline 24th November
Dear Landlords,
We’re writing to keep you ahead of the curve on an important change that could affect your rental properties in Westminster. Westminster City Council is launching a Selective Licensing Scheme — the portals will open to apply on the 1st October 2025 and all landlords with properties in Westminster will be required to have this licence in place for each of their properties by the 24th November 2025.
At Greater London Properties, we’re already preparing our clients for these upcoming changes — and we’re here to help you do the same.
What’s Changing — And Why It Matters
Westminster Council’s new Selective Licensing scheme is designed to raise property standards, reduce anti-social behaviour, and improve safety for tenants. It applies to privately rented homes (not just HMOs) within certain designated areas of Westminster.
Once it kicks in, you’ll need a licence to let your property — or you could face penalties, including fines of up to £30,000, rent repayment orders, and restrictions on regaining possession under Section 21.
Does This Apply to You?
If you rent out a single home (house or flat) in one of the selected Westminster wards — yes, this probably affects you. Whether you’re letting to a single tenant, a couple, or sharers, you’ll need a licence unless your property already falls under another licensing scheme (like HMO licences). Even if your property isn’t in the designated zone yet, we expect a wider roll-out in the near future. So, we strongly recommend preparing early.
👉 You can check if your property is affected using Westminster Council’s postcode checker on their website.
What You’ll Need to Apply
The current guidelines are still not 100% clear, however to successfully apply for a Selective Licence, the guidance currently states that landlords must have the following:
- A valid Gas Safety Certificate (if applicable)
- A current Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
- A valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
- Working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms
- Details of your managing agent (if you have one)
- Fit and proper person declaration
- Payment of the licence fee
Once granted, the licence will last for up to five years, provided you continue to meet all the conditions.
Don’t Risk Non-Compliance
Letting a property without a valid licence is a criminal offence under the new rules. Westminster Council has made it clear that enforcement will be strict and proactive.
Penalties include:
❌ Civil fines up to £30,000
❌ Repayment of up to 12 months’ rent
❌ Loss of rights to serve a Section 21 notice
How GLP Can Help
As your property experts in Prime Central London, our Lettings & Management team is already helping landlords prepare for the upcoming changes.
We can support you by:
✔ Checking whether your property falls within the licensing area
✔ Reviewing your portfolio for compliance
✔ Arranging or updating Gas, EICR and EPC certificates
✔ Preparing and submitting your licence application
✔ Acting as your professional managing agent to help you meet ongoing licence conditions
What’s Next?
We’ll be reaching out to all GLP landlord clients over the coming weeks to walk you through next steps — when the application window opens on the 1st October, we will share any further details on what is needed to complete this.
Whether you rent out a single flat or manage a full portfolio, early action is key. This is a major legal change — and we’re here to ensure you stay fully compliant and stress-free.
Any questions, please give us a call today if you have any further questions.
Warm regards,
Megan Cutforth
Lettings Director
📞 0207 734 4062