Wandsworth Council cracks down on unsafe rental properties

Landlords are now required to sign up to the new licencing in order to legally rent out their properties. Wandsworth’s inspections have uncovered serious safety hazards and prompted swift action to protect tenants.

Since the launch of the borough-wide initiative in July, the Council has received over 3,400 licence applications, including more than 1,900 for Additional Licensing and over 1,500 for Selective Licensing. Already, more than 110 inspections have taken place, resulting in over 40 formal notices served to landlords failing to meet safety standards.

The licensing scheme targets all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Private Rented Sector (PRS) properties in Balham South, Furzedown, Tooting Bec, and Tooting Broadway.

A property in Putney intended for three tenants was found to have a dangerously undersized bedroom and lacked basic fire safety features, including fire doors and heat alarms. The Council issued a legal notice requiring the installation of compliant fire doors, alarms, and removal of escape route obstructions. The landlord agreed to all improvements, significantly reducing fire risk.

A two-storey home with a spiral staircase open to the living room posed serious escape risks. The Council consulted the Fire Brigade and warned the landlord that unless structural changes were made, the property could be deemed unfit for HMO licensing.

Another six-bedroom property lacked fire doors and had a faulty basement door near utility meters. The Council ordered installation of compliant fire doors and removal of escape route obstructions.

Aydin Dikerdem, Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet member for Housing, said:

“These inspections show why licensing matters. The message is clear: unsafe rentals will not be tolerated. These new landlord licencing schemes give us more robust powers to inspect and intervene in cases where landlords are not living up to their duties, providing renters with more support and protecting their rights.”

Wandsworth Council will continue to monitor compliance and carry out follow-up inspections to ensure all remedial works meet the required standards.

‘Additional HMO Licencing’ applies to homes with three or more people from different household.

‘Selective licencing’ currently applies to all private rented homes within the Furzedown, South Balham, Tooting Bec and Tooting Broadway areas.

Landlords operating without suitable licences could face prosecution or financial penalties of up to £30,000. Tenants may be eligible to reclaim 12 months’ rent, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit if an offence is committed.

As part of the landlord licencing, we have a new ‘Gold Standard’ to recognise and reward good landlords who exceed the basic legal and tenancy standards.

More information on landlord licencing can be found on our website.