Landlord licensing in Royal Borough of Greenwich

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

Mandatory HMO licensing applies to properties let to five or more people forming two or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. Check the Royal Borough of Greenwich website for full details and current requirements.

Additional licensing

Additional licensing can extend licensing to smaller HMOs, such as those with three or four tenants. Designations run for up to five years and are ward- or street-specific, so confirm the position for the exact address.

Selective licensing

Selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Check the Royal Borough of Greenwich website for current designations and renewal status before you advertise.

Towns covered

Greenwich

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, the first job is to confirm which licensing regime the exact address falls under. Mandatory HMO licensing applies to larger HMOs, additional licensing can extend this to smaller HMOs and selective licensing can require a licence for every private rented home in a designated area, including single-family lets. Designations run for up to five years and can be ward- or street-specific, so check current designations for the exact address before you advertise. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (main provisions commencing 2026) replaces fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies with periodic assured tenancies, strengthens tenant rights, and ends section 21 no-fault evictions. Whatever the licensing position, keep a comprehensive evidence pack for every Greenwich tenancy: a current gas safety record where there is gas, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website