Westminster City Council is set to introduce a new Selective Licensing Scheme for private rented properties, starting Monday 24 November 2025. The local authority says the scheme, which will cost a flat fee of £995, aims to improve housing standards, protect tenants, and support responsible landlords across designated areas of the city.
Under the new initiative, landlords operating in 15 of Westminster’s 18 wards will be required to obtain a licence for each privately rented property they manage, with landlords required to pay a non-refundable fee of £543 upfront to process their applications, with a further £452 to pay once they are approved.
The initiative follows consultation with residents, landlords, and stakeholders, and is part of the council’s wider commitment to tackling poor housing conditions and supporting safe, well-managed homes, as well as raising extra funds.
Cllr Ellie Ormsby, cabinet member for Regeneration and Renter, said: “Everyone deserves a decent, safe place to live. This scheme will help us raise standards in the private rented sector, crack down on rogue landlords, and ensure tenants are treated fairly. We’re working closely with landlords to support compliance and make the process as smooth as possible.”
The scheme will apply to properties in areas identified as having high levels of privately rented homes, anti-social behaviour, and poor housing conditions. Westminster started accepting licence applications on 1 October 2025, and landlords are required to apply for a licence before the scheme goes live to avoid potential enforcement action.
I’ve just found out that a local scheme is only legally required to carry out the first inspection ‘within the 5 years’. After pushing the council that could mean an inspection at month 59, and then the landlord has to pay another fee to renew at month 60.
The studio to 3 bed scheme is angled at ‘improving standards’, has raised millions already (before being rolled out across the city) yet this property could have water ingress, heavy mould, a faulty boiler and electrics… etc for 58 months.
I wonder if that’s the same everywhere.
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Basically this selective licensing fee is “money for old rope”. In the real world will councils have the resources & ability to inspect property to ensure all is up to scratch?
Only caveat being when a neglect Landlord fails & a tenant makes a report.
The justification of fees between £500 – £1000 a sign of local government milking the system & a pretence of fee through fines.
There again numerous councils fail to maintain their council properties – where’s the justice?
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