Private landlords operating in Wandsworth are now required to sign up to the new licencing in order to legally rent out their properties.

Since the launch of the borough-wide initiative in July, the Council has received over 3,400 licence applications, including more than 1,900 for Additional Licensing and over 1,500 for Selective Licensing.

The selective licence fee is £850 per property and the additional HMO licence fee is £1,450 per property.

Already, more than 110 inspections have taken place, resulting in over 40 formal notices served to landlords failing to meet safety standards.

The licensing scheme targets all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Private Rented Sector (PRS) properties in Balham South, Furzedown, Tooting Bec, and Tooting Broadway.

Aydin Dikerdem, Wandsworth Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “The message is clear: unsafe rentals will not be tolerated. These new landlord licencing schemes give us more robust powers to inspect and intervene in cases where landlords are not living up to their duties, providing renters with more support and protecting their rights.”

‘Selective licencing’ currently applies to all private rented homes within the Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway areas.

Landlords operating without suitable licences could face prosecution or financial penalties of up to £30,000. Tenants may be eligible to reclaim 12 months’ rent, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit if an offence is committed.