Two London boroughs have launched consultations into bolstering their licensing schemes.

Greenwich aims to cover more wards with its selective licensing scheme, while Ealing Council wants to extend its additional scheme for another five years.

The Greenwich scheme currently covers five wards (Plumstead and Glyndon, Plumstead Common, Shooters Hill, Woolwich Arsenal, Woolwich Common and Woolwich Dockyard) but the council now wants landlords in 18 wards to get a licence - 70% of the borough.

The authority reckons that since selective licensing was introduced in 2022, it has improved safety standards, reduced hazards, and helped reduce property related anti-social behaviour.

Councillor Joshua Ayodele, cabinet member for community safety & integrated enforcement, (pictured right) says residents who rent privately should live in safe, well-managed and high-quality homes. “Unfortunately, this is not always the case,” he adds. “A recent review has identified 12 additional wards we believe should be covered by the selective licensing scheme. While most landlords provide good quality homes, evidence shows a proportion of properties in the proposed areas are poorly maintained or badly managed.”  

Inspected

Since the beginning of 2025, Greenwich has inspected 622 licensed properties and helped landlords resolve 2,103 hazards.

The proposed wards are: Abbey Wood, Blackheath Westcombe, Charlton Hornfair, Charlton Village & Riverside, East Greenwich, Eltham Page, Eltham Town & Avery Hill, Greenwich Park, Kidbrooke Park, Middle & Horn Park, Thamesmead Moorings, West Thamesmead, Plumstead & Glyndon, Plumstead Common, Shooters Hill, Woolwich Common, Woolwich Dockyard, Woolwich Arsenal (partially). 

Meanwhile, Ealing’s current additional scheme ends in April 2027, but the council wants to extend it for up to another five years.

Reports

It reports that council inspectors identified 4,890 housing hazards during inspections of more than 900 HMOs during the past two years, and that two out of three inspected properties had hazards that needed attention. The council also recorded 3,649 antisocial behaviour incidents linked to known HMO properties between April 2021 and April 2026.

Since April 2025, Ealing has issued 28 civil penalties for unlicensed HMOs and helped bring 56 unlicensed properties into the licensing system. It has also set up a specialist team to deal with antisocial behaviour linked to licensed properties.

Councillor Louise Brett, cabinet member for safe and genuinely affordable homes, (pictured left) says: “Our inspections continue to find serious hazards, unsafe conditions, and poor management in too many shared homes. This consultation is an opportunity for everyone with an interest in private renting to help shape how we keep improving standards across the borough in the years ahead.”

Greenwich’s online survey is open until 12th October. Ealing’s consultation runs until 24th September.

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