Waltham Forest Council Is Moving To Data-Led Enforcement
Property Licensing Guide for Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest currently operates selective licensing in 20 wards and additional licensing in 22 wards; mandatory HMO licensing applies everywhere. Last checked: 20 October 2026.
This free guide will provide you with the key details regarding what licensing requirements are necessary in this area and how to apply for a licence.
New to this? Read our overview: What is selective licensing?
Waltham Forest is in the London registration window for the PRS database, which opens on 15 July 2027: see what the PRS database means for landlords and agents in London.
Waltham Forest Property Licensing Schemes
To check whether a Waltham Forest property is licensed, search the council’s public register of licensed properties or use Kamma’s free checker on this page. The council publishes one register for HMOs and one for selective licences.
Is manual compliance causing a headache for your agency? At Kamma, we specialise in automating licensing compliance for agents across the UK. If you need any assistance in getting your property portfolio compliant, find out how we can help letting agents here.
Not sure whether a Waltham Forest property needs a licence? Kamma's free checker covers selective, additional and HMO schemes.
Check a Waltham Forest property →What are the licensing requirements for Waltham Forest?
Mandatory licensing in Waltham Forest
Mandatory HMO licensing applies across Waltham Forest (and all of England) to larger HMOs. These are properties occupied by five or more people forming more than one household, including:
- Shared houses and flats occupied by students and young professionals.
- Properties converted into bedsits with some shared facilities.
- Properties converted into a mix of self-contained and non-self-contained accommodation.
Do I need an additional property licence in Waltham Forest?
Additional licensing requires smaller HMOs in a designated area to be licensed. That means a privately rented property with three or more people forming more than one household.
Waltham Forest operates additional HMO licensing. The current designation is set out below.
Do I need a selective licence in Waltham Forest?
Selective licensing requires almost all privately rented properties in a designated area to be licensed, regardless of the number of occupants.
Waltham Forest operates selective licensing. The current designation is set out below.
Additional licensing: 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2030, borough-wide (all 22 wards).
Selective licensing: 1 May 2025 to 30 April 2030, covering Cann Hall, Cathall, Chapel End, Chingford Green, Forest, Grove Green, Hale End & Highams Park South, High Street, Higham Hill, Hoe Street, Larkswood, Lea Bridge, Leyton, Leytonstone, Markhouse, St James, Upper Walthamstow, Valley, William Morris and Wood Street.
Mandatory HMO licensing: in force since 2006 for HMOs of five or more people forming more than one household.
How do I apply for a licence?
You can apply for a licence via Waltham Forest Council’s website here. Or let Kamma’s expert team process the application for you.
How much does a licence cost?
Licence fees
| Licence | Fee |
|---|---|
| Selective licence | £895 per property |
| Additional HMO licence | £1,200 per property |
| Mandatory HMO licence | £1,650 per property |
Fees as published by the council, verified 20 July 2026; subject to change. See the council’s fee page for full schedules, payment stages and discounts.
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Waltham Forest Property Licensing FAQs
What licensing schemes does Waltham Forest operate?
Waltham Forest operates selective, additional and mandatory HMO licensing. Selective licensing has run in 20 of the 22 wards since 1 May 2025 and ends on 30 April 2030. Additional HMO licensing has covered the whole borough since 1 April 2025 and ends on 31 March 2030. National mandatory HMO licensing applies alongside both.
Do all properties in Waltham Forest need a licence?
Not every property in Waltham Forest needs a licence. Selective licensing, in force since 1 May 2025, covers homes let to one person, one family or two unrelated sharers in 20 of the 22 wards. Additional HMO licensing, in force since 1 April 2025, covers smaller HMOs across the whole borough. Mandatory HMO licensing applies where five or more people form more than one household.
What if my property doesn't have a licence?
Operating a licensable property in Waltham Forest without a licence can bring a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per property, for offences on or after 1 May 2026. The landlord also risks a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent. A letting agent who manages the property or collects the rent commits the offence too and can be fined separately.
Can letting agents apply on behalf of landlords?
Yes. Letting agents can apply for Waltham Forest selective and additional HMO licences on behalf of landlords. The council takes each fee in two parts: Part A when the application is made and Part B once the licence is granted.
How do I apply for a Waltham Forest property licence?
Apply through Waltham Forest Council’s licensing pages. Selective and additional licence fees are paid in two parts. A letting agent can also use a managed service such as Kamma.
Why did Waltham Forest introduce selective licensing?
Selective licensing is used to improve housing conditions and tackle anti-social behaviour in the private rented sector.
Why did Waltham Forest introduce additional licensing?
Waltham Forest Council first introduced additional HMO licensing in April 2020, covering properties occupied by three or more people that fall outside mandatory HMO licensing. A further additional scheme started on 1 April 2025 and runs to 31 March 2030.
What are the conditions to obtain an HMO licence in Waltham Forest?
Waltham Forest Council sets licence conditions covering fire safety, amenities, room sizes and management. The conditions for additional HMO licences are on the council’s additional HMO licensing page.
About Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest is an outer borough of London, located on the northeastern edge of the city and bordering Essex to the north. Formed in 1965 from the merger of Chingford, Leyton, and Walthamstow, it has a rich history with roots in the Domesday Book of 1086. Originally rural, the area urbanised in the 19th century with the arrival of the railways. Notable sites include Queen Elizabeth I’s hunting lodge and the home of 19th-century craftsman William Morris. The borough, predominantly residential with some industrial zones, also features extensive parks and green spaces. Waltham Forest covers 15 square miles (40 square km) and had a population of 258,249 in 2011. Selective licensing does not apply in two areas: Endlebury and Hatch Lane/Highams Park North.
Licensing Enforcement in Waltham Forest
Waltham Forest Council enforces licensing under an Enforcement Policy published in September 2025. Operating a licensable property without a licence risks prosecution or a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per property, for offences on or after 1 May 2026. The landlord can also face a rent repayment order of up to 24 months’ rent. Where a letting agent manages the property or collects the rent, the agent commits the offence too and can be fined in its own right.
The council’s schemes page reports high application volumes and says landlords with a valid application can continue to let while it is processed.
Neighbouring borough guides
Licensing schemes stop at the borough boundary. A property one street over can need a different licence. Guides for the neighbouring boroughs:
Tracking licensing across a managed portfolio
A single Waltham Forest address can be checked by hand. An agency managing several hundred properties across Waltham Forest and the boroughs around it cannot work that way, and designations change often enough that a check made last quarter may no longer hold.
Kamma connects to the CRM your agency already works in and reads the address and tenancy fields a licensing determination depends on. The licensing position for each property then sits beside the record your team is already looking at.
Pages covering what Kamma reads from each system and how to connect it are available for Reapit, Street.co.uk, MRI Sales and Lettings, MRI Radar, Apex27, Acquaint CRM, Jupix, iamproperty, SME Professional, Rex Software, SleekTech. Alto and agentOS also integrate. The full list is on the CRM integrations page.
