Enforcement and licence conditions

Enforcement

If you are a landlord or managing agent for a property that needs a licence and do not get one, you can be prosecuted or fined.

The Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker has details of landlords who have received convictions or financial penalty notices.

Read more about the Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy.

Licence conditions

There will be a number of conditions attached to licences, some of which are mandatory, as required by the Housing Act 2004, and others which are discretionary and decided by the Council. The mandatory conditions that apply to all licences are:

• Licence holders must provide an annual gas safety certificate.
• Licence Holder shall ensure that any electrical appliances supplied by the licence holder, (e.g. fridges, kettles, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, etc.) in the property are in proper working order and safe for continued use.
• Licence holders must ensure that a smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the house on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation
• Licence holders will be required to provide to the Authority within 7 days of the request, a copy of the written, signed statement of the terms on which the tenants occupy the property.

The licence holder or managing agent of a private rented property must meet the licence conditions throughout the duration of the licence.

The licence conditions depend on what kind of licence it is:

• Read the conditions for Mandatory Licensing Conditions
• Read the conditions for Additional HMO Licensing Conditions
• Read the conditions for Selective Licensing Conditions - Designation 1

Some licensing conditions mean you must comply with specific documents or rules. See HMO standards and regulations.

For more information, or if you have any questions, please contact us at privatehousing@wandsworth.gov.uk.