Confirm the area and licence route
Selective licensing can cover privately rented homes that are not HMOs. The local notice defines its area and exclusions. Check whether mandatory or additional HMO licensing applies first, then confirm the selective boundary and exemptions for the exact property.
Read the HMO licence guide for the national threshold and local additional route. An additional HMO designation absent from this catalogue still needs council confirmation.
Reviewed selective designations
Each linked record has its own source, period and scope. These dates describe the scheme, rather than the expiry of an individual licence. Check the council’s current application service and fee before applying.
Westminster selective licensing: designation 1
Westminster’s first selective designation covers eight mapped wards, with a common start and expiry alongside its separate second designation.
Area: Abbey Road, Church Street, Harrow Road, Knightsbridge and Belgravia, Little Venice, Maida Vale, Queen’s Park and Westbourne, inside the blue-edged Annex A area.
The map controls the area. Confirm the exact property and the current HMO route; the selective notice’s reference to the older HMO scheme does not replace the 2026 renewal notice.
Exclusions to confirm
- Mandatory or additional licensable HMOs use the relevant HMO route instead.
- Social housing, management orders, temporary exemptions and statutory exempt tenancies require the notice’s exact definitions.
Before an application
- Find the property in designation 1’s legal map.
- Check Westminster’s current HMO designation before applying for selective licensing.
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Westminster selective licensing: designation 2
Westminster’s second selective designation covers seven mapped wards. Its legal area is separate from designation 1 despite their matching dates.
Area: Bayswater, Hyde Park, Lancaster Gate, Marylebone, Pimlico North, Regent’s Park and West End, inside the red-edged Annex A area.
Ward labels alone do not establish a property match. The 2026 additional HMO renewal and statutory selective exemptions need separate checking.
Exclusions to confirm
- Mandatory or additional licensable HMOs use the relevant HMO route instead.
- Social housing, management orders, temporary exemptions and statutory exempt tenancies require the notice’s exact definitions.
Before an application
- Use designation 2’s map for the exact address.
- Keep the property licence’s own expiry and conditions in its record.
Reviewed · Revision 1
Questions about Westminster selective licensing
Does the HMO renewal mean I must replace a valid existing licence immediately?
The 2026 notice preserves previous licences until their individual expiry unless varied or revoked. Confirm the specific licence and renewal timetable with Westminster.
Is a selective licence required throughout Westminster?
The council specifies 15 wards through two mapped designations. The additional HMO scheme has borough-wide scope for its qualifying category. An address decision still needs the correct map and property details.
Can the Rental Licensing checker confirm an exact selective boundary?
No. It can identify the reviewed local records and show which facts still need checking. Selective results with an unresolved area remain manual review. Use the official council map or address service before treating a home as included or excluded.
What evidence should I keep after confirming the correct licence route?
Keep the relevant designation and boundary evidence, application acknowledgement, individual licence and its actual expiry and conditions. This guide records scheme dates; it does not verify that your property has a valid licence.