Applying for an HMO licence in Hammersmith & Fulham?
First-time landlord or managing a portfolio? Hammersmith & Fulham runs three licensing schemes: borough-wide Mandatory and Additional HMO licensing, plus Selective licensing on 24 designated streets. The Additional and Selective schemes both expire 4 June 2027 — so renewals are on the horizon. We inspect your property before you apply, tell you exactly what needs fixing, and (if you'd like) submit the licence application for you. Inspections from £199, licence applications from £295. No jargon, no surprises.
Not sure if your Hammersmith & Fulham property needs a licence? On many streets, even a single-family let does.H&F runs borough-wide Additional HMO licensing (any HMO of 3+ people from 2+ households) and Selective licensing on 24 designated streets — where most privately rented homes need a licence regardless of how many people live there. If you're unlicensed you may already be operating illegally, with civil penalties up to £40,000 (no warning required) and tenants able to reclaim up to 24 months' rent.
Which Hammersmith & Fulham Licence Applies to You?
H&F runs all three licence types: Mandatory and Additional cover HMOs borough-wide, while Selective covers single-household lets on 24 named streets. Which applies depends on occupancy and, for Selective, your street. The table explains each in plain English. Not sure where you fit? Send us the address and number of occupants on WhatsApp — we'll tell you in 5 minutes.
Mandatory
Required where 5 or more people from 2+ households share. Standard test, self-contained flat test, or converted building test under Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004 applies.
£1,656 (5-bed) + £183 per extra bedroomAdditional
Required for any HMO of 3 or 4 people from 2+ households sharing facilities, across the whole borough. Includes restricted Section 257 converted blocks (no owner-occupiers, single control, outside selective streets).
£755 per propertySelective
On 24 named streets, most privately rented homes need a licence even for a single-family or single-household let. If your property is on a designated street, a selective licence applies regardless of occupancy.
£755 per propertyAs of 2026, H&F's Mandatory HMO fee is £1,656 for a five-bedroom HMO plus £183 per additional bedroom; the Additional and Selective fee is £755 per property. An £80 discount applies for members of an accredited landlord body (NRLA / London Landlord Accreditation Scheme), or £50 for signing the council's landlord rental charter — one discount only. Fees are reviewed periodically — confirm the current figure on the council's website before applying. Council licensing contact: [email protected] / 020 8753 1703.
One of London's Largest Rental Sectors, Renewal Approaching.
Hammersmith & Fulham has the sixth-largest private rented sector in London — nearly a third of all borough households. The council renewed its discretionary schemes on 6 December 2021, with the borough-wide Additional scheme and a Selective scheme covering 24 streets both starting 5 June 2022. Both expire on 4 June 2027, so landlords across the borough face a renewal decision within the year — and the council has a well-established enforcement record.
Askew Road, Baron's Court Road, Bloemfontein Road, Blythe Road, Coningham Road, Crookham Road, Dalling Road, Dawes Road, Fulham Road, Goldhawk Road, Greyhound Road, King Street, Lime Grove, New King's Road, North End Road, Richmond Way, Scrubs Lane, Shepherd's Bush Road, Sinclair Road, Talgarth Road, Uxbridge Road, Wandsworth Bridge Road, Wood Lane and Woodstock Grove.
Not sure whether your street is designated, or whether you need Additional or Selective? Send us the address and we'll confirm which licence applies.
How We De-Risk Your Application.
With H&F's Additional and Selective schemes both up for renewal in June 2027 and Part 1 of the fee non-refundable on application, a pre-application inspection is small money against a refused or delayed application — especially for mansion-block conversions, older Section 257 stock, and portfolios where one compliance gap repeats across many units.
On-site inspection by an EHO. Full report against H&F's licence conditions and the council's published amenity and room size standards. You get a prioritised action list, not a generic checklist.
Get a quoteWe complete and submit your Mandatory, Additional or Selective licence application via H&F's online portal. Includes plan annotation, document collation and direct liaison with the council's licensing team.
Get a quoteCommon Hammersmith & Fulham HMO Setups.
H&F's stock spans Victorian and Edwardian terraces across Fulham and Shepherd's Bush, grand mansion blocks and villa conversions around Baron's Court and West Kensington, flats above shops on the designated selective streets, and new build-to-rent around White City and Wood Lane. Licence conditions are uniform, but typical findings vary heavily by area.
FulhamSW6 · Fulham Road · North End Road · Dawes Road
Victorian and Edwardian terraces and mansion blocks, heavily converted to professional HMOs and shared flats. Several designated selective streets run through here (Fulham Road, Dawes Road, North End Road, Wandsworth Bridge Road). Common findings: rooms below the 6.51m² minimum, fire compartmentation gaps between converted flats, and EICRs that lag behind extension works.
Hammersmith & BrackenburyW6 · King Street · Dalling Road · Goldhawk Road
Dense terraced housing and flats above shops along King Street, Dalling Road and Goldhawk Road — all selective-licensing streets. Many conversions into 3-4 person HMOs caught by the Additional scheme. Typical issues: undersized kitchen and bathroom amenities for occupancy, non-certified fire doors, and selective licences overlooked on single-household lets.
Shepherd's BushW12 · Askew Road · Uxbridge Road · Coningham Road
One of the borough's highest-density HMO areas, with Askew Road, Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush Road and Coningham Road all designated for selective licensing. Heavy young-professional and student sharing. Common findings: overcrowding, missing interlinked smoke alarms, and damp and mould now actionable under Awaab's Law.
Baron's Court & West KensingtonW14 · Talgarth Road · Baron's Court Road · Blythe Road
Grand mansion blocks and villa conversions, much of it older Section 257 stock converted decades ago. Talgarth Road, Baron's Court Road, Blythe Road and Sinclair Road are selective streets. Typical issues: Section 257 status questions on multi-flat blocks, fire safety in communal areas, and conversion paperwork that no longer matches current Building Regulations.
White City, Wood Lane & Sands EndW12 · SW6 · Wood Lane · Scrubs Lane · Wandsworth Bridge Road
A mix of regeneration and build-to-rent around White City and Wood Lane, alongside older terraces in Sands End. Wood Lane, Scrubs Lane and Wandsworth Bridge Road are selective streets. Common findings: purpose-built blocks wrongly assumed exempt, occupancy levels above what the licence declares, and gas safety certificates not aligned to actual tenancy dates.
Questions H&F Landlords Are Asking.
When do Hammersmith & Fulham's HMO licensing schemes expire?
H&F's borough-wide Additional HMO licensing scheme and its Selective licensing scheme (24 designated streets) both came into force on 5 June 2022 and run for five years, expiring on 4 June 2027. Landlords should plan renewals well ahead of that date. Mandatory HMO licensing runs continuously under national law. Confirm current scheme status on the council's website before applying.
How much does an HMO licence cost in Hammersmith & Fulham?
As of 2026 the Mandatory HMO fee is £1,656 for a five-bedroom HMO plus £183 per additional bedroom. The Additional and Selective licence fee is £755 per property. There is an £80 discount for members of an accredited landlord body (NRLA or London Landlord Accreditation Scheme) or £50 for signing the council's landlord rental charter — one discount only. Fees are reviewed periodically; confirm the current figure on the council's website before applying.
Does Hammersmith & Fulham have selective licensing?
Yes. H&F operates a Selective licensing scheme covering 24 designated streets, meaning most privately rented homes on those streets — including single-family lets — need a licence regardless of occupancy. Designated streets include Askew Road, Fulham Road, Goldhawk Road, King Street, North End Road, Talgarth Road, Uxbridge Road, Wandsworth Bridge Road and Wood Lane. Send us the address and we'll confirm whether a selective licence applies.
Are Section 257 HMOs covered by Hammersmith & Fulham's additional scheme?
Yes, but with restrictions. H&F's additional scheme covers Section 257 converted blocks only where the conversion did not comply with the Building Regulations in force at the time and still does not comply; none of the flats are owner-occupied; the building is not owned or managed by two or more of the leaseholders of individual flats; and the property is not within a designated selective licensing area. Mixed-ownership blocks with owner-occupiers are typically outside scope.
What's the penalty for operating an unlicensed HMO in Hammersmith & Fulham?
The council can issue a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence without warning, as an alternative to prosecution. Criminal prosecution carries an unlimited fine, a criminal record, court costs and a victim surcharge. Tenants can apply for Rent Repayment Orders to reclaim up to 12 months' rent (24 months under the Renters' Rights Act 2025), and Section 21 notices cannot be served on tenants of an unlicensed HMO.
Do you work with letting agents and portfolio landlords in Hammersmith & Fulham?
Yes — we work with letting agents, managing agents and portfolio landlords across Hammersmith & Fulham. If you'd value an independent, third-party compliance check across multiple properties rather than an in-house walkthrough, get in touch about volume arrangements and evidence-grade reporting.