01
Measured survey & room schedule
Floor plans showing each room’s use and area, ready for your application and council requests.
London & Greater London · landlord licensing
Licensed, compliant
and ready to let.
Chartered architects helping landlords navigate property licensing—from surveys and floor plans to fire safety, planning and the application itself.
97%
Planning approval rate
20+
Years’ experience
1 team
Architecture, structure & survey
Selective licensingAdditional HMOMandatory HMO
01 / Know the scheme
Which licence does your property need?
Under the Housing Act 2004, councils can run three kinds of property licensing. Each London borough sets its own schemes, areas, fees and conditions.
01
Mandatory HMO
Applies everywhere in England to HMOs with five or more people forming two or more households.
02
Additional HMO
Extends licensing to smaller HMOs, such as three or four sharers, in areas the council designates.
03
Selective
Covers homes let to a single household, a single tenant or two sharers, in designated areas. Croydon’s 2026 scheme, for example, covers 14 wards.
A licence is not planning permission
It gives no planning or building control approval and is not proof a property is free from hazards. Councils can still take enforcement action; conditions typically require the property, including new works, to meet planning and building regulations.
02 / Typical conditions
What councils commonly ask for
Conditions vary by borough and change over time. Check your council’s current scheme before letting.
- Annual gas safety certificate
- EICR at least every five years
- Smoke alarm on every storey
- CO alarm by fixed combustion appliances
- Room uses and sizes on request
- No overcrowding
- Regular inspections with written records
- Property kept free from serious hazards
03 / One coordinated team
Eight ways we help you get licence-ready.
Everything your licence calls for, from one RIBA Chartered Practice.
02
Occupancy assessment
Maximum safe occupancy assessed against statutory space standards and HMO room sizes.
03
Condition & hazard survey
An HHSRS-based inspection with a prioritised list of defects to address before you apply.
04
Fire safety
Alarm and detection specification, plus fire risk assessments for multi-let properties.
05
Planning & building control
Regularising past extensions, loft rooms and conversions, including lawful development certificates.
06
HMO feasibility & Article 4
Conversion layouts, planning applications and HMO room standards for a change of use.
07
Licence application
We prepare and submit your application with the plans, certificates and declarations it needs.
08
Ongoing inspections
Scheduled inspections with written records, and reminders for certificate and licence renewals.
Gas safety certificates, EICRs and appliance testing are carried out by Gas Safe engineers and qualified electricians we coordinate for you.
04 / The route to licence
From first call to submission.
Six clear stages, with fixed fees agreed before each one starts.
Typical timeline
2–3 weeks
Survey to submission
Longer where remedial works, planning or building control approvals are needed.
- 01
Free eligibility check
Share the address and how it is let. We confirm which scheme applies, whether the property is exempt, and what the council will expect.
- 02
Site survey
One visit covers measurements, room uses, condition, fire safety and occupancy.
- 03
Compliance report
Receive floor plans, a room schedule and a clear list of requirements, with a fixed quote for each item.
- 04
Works and approvals
We design and manage remedial works, handle planning or building control, and arrange certificates through partner engineers.
- 05
Licence application
We assemble the evidence and submit your application. The council’s licence fee is separate from ours.
- 06
Stay compliant
Optional six-monthly inspections, written records and renewal reminders for the life of the licence.
05 / Transparent fees
Our fees, agreed up front.
Fixed fees confirmed in writing before we start. Prices are for a typical house or flat and exclude VAT.
Council fees are separate
Typically around £600–£1,000 per property for a selective licence, paid directly to the council. Check your borough’s current fee.
ServiceFee
- Eligibility check
- Free
- Measured survey, floor plans & room schedule
- from £395
- Occupancy assessment
- from £195
- Condition & hazard (HHSRS) survey
- from £450
- Fire safety specification
- from £295
- Fire risk assessment (multi-let)
- from £395
- Planning or building control regularisation
- from £950
- HMO feasibility study
- from £750
- Licence application preparation
- from £295
- Six-monthly inspection & record
- £125 per visit
Packages
A clear starting point.
Choose the scope that suits your property. Larger HMOs and multi-unit buildings are quoted individually.
Licence Essentials
Eligibility check, survey, floor plans, room schedule and application.
£795
Licence Complete
Essentials plus hazard survey, fire safety specification and works schedule.
£1,395
Portfolio Care
Six-monthly inspections, written records and renewal tracking.
£240/ property / year
Not included in our fees
Council licence fees; gas safety certificates, EICRs and appliance testing (arranged at cost through our partners); planning and building control application fees; and construction costs. Larger HMOs and multi-unit buildings are quoted individually.
06 / Common questions
Straight answers for landlords.
How long does a licence last?
Usually up to five years. Councils can grant a shorter term where they have compliance concerns.
My extension never had approval. Can I still apply?
Yes, but the licence will not protect you from enforcement. We can advise on regularising it first.
Does a property licence approve planning or building work?
No. A licence gives no planning or building control approval and is not proof that a property is free from hazards. Councils can still take enforcement action.
Are the fees shown the council’s licence fees?
No. Our service fees are separate from council fees. The guide notes council fees are typically around £600–£1,000 per property for a selective licence and are paid directly to the council.
How long does the process take?
The typical survey-to-submission timeline is 2–3 weeks. It can take longer where remedial works, planning or building control approvals are needed.
Who carries out gas and electrical testing?
Gas safety certificates, EICRs and appliance testing are carried out by Gas Safe engineers and qualified electricians we coordinate for you, at cost through our partners.
Why landlords choose Shorplans
Chartered practice. RIBA Chartered Practice and ARB-registered architects. ARB Reg No: 089055C.
One team. Architecture, structural engineering and surveying in-house, with a single point of contact.
London-wide. 97% planning approval rate and 20+ years’ experience across London and Greater London.
You stay in control. We act as your consultant. We don’t hold your licence or manage your property.
Start with a conversation
Book your free eligibility check.
Tell us the property address and how it is let. We’ll help establish which licensing scheme may apply.
71–75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ
shorplans.com