Sutton article 4 HMO: schemes, fees and tribunal record

Sutton licensing schemes in force or approved

Additional HMO licensing · Additional HMO licensing (borough-wide)

In force

Area covered	Whole council area
Runs	22 Mar 2026 to 21 Mar 2031
Fee	£1,598 £319.50 per letting x5 (LPL figure, not council-verified)

Council licensing page

Checked 28 Sept 2026.

Upcoming: consultations and key dates in Sutton

Date	What	Scheme	Source
21 Mar 2031 estimated (start + 5 years) in 1635 days	scheme end	Additional HMO licensing	council

Want a reminder before a deadline? Use the form at the bottom of this page and pick "Email me before my deadlines".

Mandatory HMO licensing in Sutton

Whatever the local schemes, a licence is required for any house in multiple occupation let to 5 or more people forming 2 or more households who share a kitchen, bathroom or toilet. This rule is national and has applied since 1 October 2018. Letting without a required licence is a criminal offence under section 72 of the Housing Act 2004. Read do I need an HMO licence? and how to apply.

Sutton HMO licence register

We did not find an online public register for Sutton. Every council must keep one (Housing Act 2004, s.232) and make it available for inspection; ask the council's private sector housing team.

Sutton Article 4 and HMO planning rules

Sutton does not publish Article 4 data to the national planning data platform, so we cannot tell you from official data whether an HMO Article 4 direction applies. Absence of data is not absence of a direction: check the council's planning pages.

Licensing and planning are separate. A licence does not give planning permission, and planning permission does not replace a licence. See Article 4 and HMOs.

Tribunal record: rent repayment orders and civil penalties in Sutton

Figures below count First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) decisions published on GOV.UK for properties located in Sutton. They show how tenants and the council use enforcement here. Most civil penalties are paid without appeal, so they never reach the tribunal.

Rent repayment order decisions	4 (3 in the last 3 years)
Orders made	3 (100% of decisions with a known outcome)
Median award	£6,170 (last 3 years: £3,655)
Total awarded	£21,290
Civil penalty appeals	0
Other Housing Act appeals (licence terms, notices, orders)	2

Recent rent repayment order decisions in Sutton

Decided	Area	Property	Offence alleged	Outcome	Amount	Decision
17 Nov 2025	SM3	HMO	unlicensed HMO	Order made	£6,170	GOV.UK
26 Aug 2025	SM3	HMO	unlicensed HMO	See decision	—	GOV.UK
2 Jul 2024	SM6	HMO	unlicensed HMO; unlawful eviction / harassment	Order made	£1,140	GOV.UK
5 Sept 2023	SM3	HMO	unlicensed HMO	Order made	£13,980	GOV.UK

Amounts and outcomes are extracted automatically from the decision text and can be wrong; open the decision on GOV.UK for the full reasons. Party names are not shown. Information, not legal advice.

If you have let without a licence you needed, read unlicensed property: what to do, rent repayment orders and civil penalties.

Landlord database deadline for Sutton

Sutton is in the London region of the new Private Rented Sector Database. Registration opens 15 Jul 2027 and the deadline to register is 14 Oct 2027. The published fee is £65 per property per year. Database registration is separate from council licensing: you may need both. See register your rental property.

Get help with a Sutton licence application

We can prepare a licence application for you for a fixed fee; the council's own fee is separate. See pricing for what is included and how we make money. You can also run a full address check on the postcode checker.

Sutton licensing: common questions

Is there selective licensing in Sutton?

We found no selective licensing scheme on London Borough of Sutton's website as of 28 Sep 2026. Mandatory HMO licensing still applies to 5+ people in 2+ households. Confirm with the council.

How much is an HMO licence in Sutton?

Additional HMO licensing: £1,598 (£319.50 per letting x5 (LPL figure, not council-verified)). Fees for mandatory HMO licences are set by the council and published on its fees page.

Does Sutton have an Article 4 direction for HMOs?

How often do landlords in Sutton face rent repayment orders or fines?

The First-tier Tribunal has published 4 rent repayment order decisions for properties in Sutton (3 with an order made), median award £6,170, and 0 civil penalty appeals. Most penalties are never appealed, so the true number of fines is higher.

Sources

Last checked 28 Sep 2026. Information, not legal advice. Licensing schemes change often; always confirm with the council before you act.

Sutton article 4 HMO: licensing schemes, fees and enforcement