You may need a property licence if you own and rent out a property in Merton.
The type of licence you need depends on the type of property, where it is and who lives in it.
Mandatory HMO licence
You may need a mandatory HMO licence for the property if both of the following are true:
- it is a house in multiple occupation (HMO)
- 5 or more people live there, forming more than one household
Additional HMO licence
You may need an additional HMO licence for the property if all of the following are true:
- it is a house in multiple occupation (HMO)
- 3 or 4 people live there (but not 5 or more), forming more than one household
- it is in one of these wards: Colliers Wood, Cricket Green, Figge’s Marsh, Graveney, Lavender Fields, Longthornton or Pollards Hill (find out which ward your property is in)
Selective licence
You may need a selective licence for the property if both of the following are true:
- it is occupied by a single household
- it is in one of these wards: Figge’s Marsh, Graveney, Longthornton or Pollards Hill (find out which ward your property is in)
Exemptions
You can apply for a temporary exemption if the property will cease to be a licensable property within three months. This is an alternative to an application for a licence.
Converting a home to an HMO
You need to get planning permission for a change of use if:
- you're converting a home (class C3) to an HMO with 3-6 occupants (class C4), and
- it is in one of these wards: Colliers Wood, Cricket Green, Figge’s Marsh, Graveney, Lavender Fields, Longthornton or Pollards Hill
See the Article 4 Direction page for details.
Contact us
For further information on landlord licensing please email us at privaterented.licensing@merton.gov.uk