Local HMO compliance enquiry route
HMO Certificate Enquiries in Wandsworth
Prepare the separate safety records requested for a Wandsworth HMO licence application, renewal or managed-property review. Since 1 July 2025, the borough-wide additional licensing scheme has brought many smaller shared homes into licensing as well as the larger HMOs covered by mandatory rules. A property licence is not a substitute for gas, electrical, fire, alarm or other inspection evidence. Send the full address, occupiers and households, shared facilities, building and flat arrangement, council instructions, existing reports, planning information, access contacts and deadline so every enquiry can be assigned to the right dwelling, common part and installed system.
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Establish the current licence route before arranging inspections
Wandsworth has mandatory, additional and selective property licensing routes. The answer depends on occupancy, households, shared amenities, building type and exact ward, not simply the words shared house or rented flat. Use the council checker and application instructions for the current arrangement.
People and households
State the present or proposed number of occupiers, how they are related and which kitchen, bathroom, WC or living facilities they share. A joint tenancy does not by itself make unrelated sharers one household.
Building and dwelling type
Identify a house, self-contained flat, maisonette, room letting, purpose-built block or converted building. Explain the number of flats, entrances and landlord-controlled common parts because these details can affect the licence route and inspection boundary.
Application and planning position
Attach the current council checker result, application or renewal wording and reference. Keep planning history, lawful-use evidence, building-control records and any lease or freeholder consent separate from the safety-certificate request.
Reports and access
List every requested record, its date and any unresolved findings. Name the resident, agent, concierge, freeholder or key-holder who can provide lawful entry to all included rooms, meters, boards, appliances and safety systems.
Wandsworth HMO access changes between terraces, flats and managed developments
Tooting, Balham, Earlsfield and parts of Wandsworth Town contain terraced and semi-detached houses, maisonettes, flats over shops and conversions where rooms, meters and boilers may be divided between several floors. Record rear additions, loft or basement rooms, shared entrance halls and any commercial unit below. In Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway, selective licensing also applies to qualifying privately rented homes outside the HMO routes, so the council postcode result matters if occupancy has changed or the property is not currently an HMO.
Battersea, Clapham Junction, Nine Elms, Putney and Roehampton include mansion blocks, council-freehold flats, newer concierge-managed buildings and converted houses. Contractor registration, loading restrictions, estate parking, lift booking or freeholder-controlled intake rooms can affect an inspection. From April 2026, East Putney, West Putney and Northcote also entered the second selective-licensing designation for qualifying non-HMO rentals. Do not infer the licence from the neighbourhood name: use the full postcode, current household arrangement and building type.
Build the application file from distinct, current records
Wandsworth asks property-licence applicants for floor plans and safety evidence including an electrical certificate, EPC, gas certificate where relevant, and HMO fire and alarm documents. These files answer different questions. Each must cover the correct address, areas and installations and remain consistent with the application details.
Gas safety evidence
Where gas is supplied, identify every appliance, meter, boiler, flue and room within the licensed dwelling or shared area. The council states that licence holders must provide an annual gas safety certificate; commercial premises or plant need a separate scope.
Electrical installation evidence
The application asks for an electrical safety certificate and the council says HMO fixed installations should be checked at least every five years. Supply the complete report, all consumer-unit details and any remedial evidence rather than a summary page alone.
Fire and alarm evidence
For an HMO application, Wandsworth lists a fire risk assessment and fire alarm certificate. Describe the escape route, fire doors, detector or panel arrangement and any emergency lighting so separate inspections are not confused.
Floor plan, EPC and PAT
The floor plan should show each floor, room use and size. Keep the EPC for the correct dwelling and include portable appliance testing only where relevant; a PAT record does not assess the fixed wiring covered by an EICR.
Which Wandsworth property-licensing guidance applies to this address?
Wandsworth introduced borough-wide additional HMO licensing on 1 July 2025. It covers many HMOs with three or four occupiers from two or more households that fall outside mandatory licensing, while qualifying five-plus-occupier HMOs follow the mandatory route. Section 257 converted-building HMOs are excluded from the additional scheme. Selective licensing separately covers qualifying private rentals in named wards and should not be treated as another HMO certificate.
The council application page asks for floor plans, an electrical safety certificate, EPC, gas safety certificate where needed, and, for an HMO, a fire risk assessment and fire alarm certificate. Its conditions also require annual gas evidence, safe supplied electrical appliances and smoke alarms on relevant storeys. Planning remains separate: Wandsworth says seven-plus-occupier HMOs require permission, and its current Article 4 page should be checked for any address-specific restriction. London Landlord Certifications can route safety-record enquiries but does not decide licensing, planning or council acceptance.
Turn a Wandsworth licence request into an inspection brief
1. Check the licence for today's occupancy
Use Wandsworth Council's live checker for the postcode, occupiers, households, facilities and building arrangement. Note mandatory, additional or selective licensing and retain any exemption or application advice.
2. Separate planning from licensing
Review the current use, planning history and council planning guidance for the exact address. The council says planning permission is required for HMOs occupied by seven or more people, while its current Article 4 list does not show a borough-wide C3-to-C4 HMO direction.
3. Reconcile documents and access
Compare the application, floor plan, gas record, electrical report, EPC, fire risk assessment and alarm certificate. Resolve different addresses, room uses or installation boundaries before arranging entry.
Practical HMO certificate questions for Wandsworth properties
Is there one HMO certificate for a Wandsworth licence application?
No. A property licence is supported by separate evidence. Wandsworth lists floor plans, an electrical certificate, EPC, gas certificate where needed, and HMO fire risk and fire alarm documents among the application files.
Which shared homes need additional HMO licensing in Wandsworth?
The borough-wide scheme applies from 1 July 2025 to many HMOs occupied by three or more people from two or more households that are not already subject to mandatory licensing or exempt. Use the council checker because building type and statutory exemptions can change the result.
When does mandatory HMO licensing apply in Wandsworth?
Mandatory licensing generally applies where five or more people from two or more households occupy a qualifying house or self-contained flat, share facilities and use it as their main residence. The council checker should be used for the individual property.
Are converted blocks automatically covered by Wandsworth additional HMO licensing?
No. Wandsworth says Section 257 HMOs, which are certain buildings converted into self-contained flats, are not covered by its additional scheme. Individual flats may still need selective licences in designated wards, and other management duties can continue to apply.
What should I send before booking Wandsworth HMO inspections?
Send the complete address, occupiers and households, shared facilities, building and flat arrangement, council instructions, floor plan, existing reports, required documents, planning information, access contacts and deadline. This helps prevent gaps and duplicate visits.
Need to organise the evidence for a Wandsworth HMO?
Send the full Wandsworth address, current or proposed occupancy, household and shared-facility details, building arrangement, licence route, council wording, floor plan, existing safety records, planning information, access restrictions and deadline. The enquiry can then be divided into the appropriate gas, electrical, fire, alarm, EPC or PAT routes without describing them as one generic HMO certificate.