Croydon: landlord licensing
Croydon has a licensing scheme approved and starting soon. Here is what is coming and how to check your property.
Check a property in Croydon
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Upcoming schemes
Selective licensing
upcoming14 of 28 wards, ~72.5% of the borough's PRS
- Dates
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2031
- Approx. fee
- £800 (£480 Part A + £320 Part B)
- Wards / areas
- Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Bensham Manor, Broad Green, Fairfield, Norbury and Pollards Hill, Norbury Park, Selhurst, South Croydon, South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Waddon, West Thornton, Woodside
Official local authority licensing designation
Additional (HMO) licensing
upcomingBorough-wide; HMOs of 3+ persons in 2+ households not covered by mandatory licensing
- Dates
- 1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2031
- Approx. fee
- £1,250 (£750 Part A + £500 Part B)
Official local authority licensing designation
Mandatory HMO licensing (applies everywhere)
Regardless of local schemes, any property in Croydon let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households, who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet, needs a mandatory HMO licence under the Housing Act 2004. Licences last up to 5 years and the fee is set by the council.
Penalties for operating unlicensed
- Civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence (raised from £30,000 on 1 May 2026).
- Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent, claimable by the tenant.
- Unlimited fine on criminal prosecution, plus possible banning order.
- Once the national PRS Database is live, unregistered landlords can be blocked from regaining possession.
Notes
Both approved, live from 1 September 2026. Applications open summer 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a landlord licence in Croydon?
Croydon does not currently operate a selective or additional licensing scheme. However, mandatory HMO licensing still applies, to any property let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households.
What is the penalty for an unlicensed property in Croydon?
Operating a licensable property without a licence can lead to a civil penalty of up to £40,000 per offence, a Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent, an unlimited fine on prosecution, and a banning order for serious or repeat offenders.
Can a tenant in Croydon claim rent back from an unlicensed landlord?
Yes. Letting a property that required a licence, without one, is an offence under section 72(1) or section 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004, and a tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order of up to 24 months' rent for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026. No conviction is needed first, but the tribunal must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the offence was committed, and the application must be made within two years of it. Tribunals award a percentage of the rent rather than the maximum, following the method in Acheampong v Roman [2022] UKUT 239 (LC).
Does your property need a licence?
Enter your postcode for an instant free check of every scheme that could apply.
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Renting in Croydon?
If your home needed a licence and did not have one, you may be able to claim rent back
A Rent Repayment Order can be up to 24 months' rent, you apply to the tribunal yourself, and your landlord does not need to have been prosecuted. The deadline is two years from the offence.
🏛️ Government-backed data: built from official local authority licensing designations, ONS council boundaries and UK housing legislation (Housing Act 2004), verified as of July 2026. PRSCheck is an information service, not legal advice. Many schemes are designated at street or part-ward level; the paid report confirms the exact boundary and official source for your address. Browse all councils.