Croydon has more households than any other London borough — 152,945 in 2021 — and I cover all of it as an accredited domestic energy assessor: central Croydon, Addiscombe, Shirley, Waddon and New Addington (CR0), South Croydon, Sanderstead and Selsdon (CR2), Coulsdon (CR5), Thornton Heath (CR7), Purley and Kenley (CR8), South Norwood and Woodside (SE25), Upper Norwood (SE19) and Norbury (SW16). There is no travel surcharge anywhere inside Greater London.
| Households (2021 census) | 152,945 |
|---|---|
| Rented privately | 25.8% (London 30.0%) |
| Owned outright or with a mortgage | 54.7% (London 45.2%) |
| Social rented | 17.9% (London 23.1%) |
| Households living in a flat | 39.7% (London 54.0%) |
| …of which in a converted house | 8.5% of all households (London 11.1%) |
| Households in a house | 60.2% (London 45.9%) |
| Typical (median) EPC score | 69, band C (London 70) |
| Homes with an EPC rated C or above | 52% (London 58%) |
| Selective licence (one household or up to two sharers) | 14 of 28 wards, from 1 September 2026 for five years |
| Additional HMO licence (smaller HMOs) | Whole borough, from 1 September 2026 |
| Share of private rentals under selective licensing | About 72.5%, the council says |
Sources: Census 2021, Office for National Statistics, tables TS054 (tenure) and TS044 (accommodation type) via Nomis; London means the 33 local authorities added together. Licensing: Croydon Council’s “Property licensing schemes” and “Selective Licensing Scheme 2026” pages and its news release of 27 March 2026, checked 22 October 2026. EPC figures: ONS, “Energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales” (28 October 2025), the latest certificate for each home lodged in the ten years to March 2025, at the score when it was assessed; homes without an EPC are not counted.
Croydon’s new licensing schemes
Two new schemes came into effect on 1 September 2026 and run for five years, following a 12-week consultation with over 1,000 responses.
Selective licensing applies to homes rented to a single household, let to a single tenant or rented by two people sharing, in 14 of the borough’s 28 wards: Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West, Bensham Manor, Broad Green, Fairfield, Norbury and Pollards Hill, Norbury Park, Selhurst, South Croydon, South Norwood, Thornton Heath, Waddon, West Thornton and Woodside. The council says that covers around 72.5% of the borough’s private rented sector, and it applies whether you are already renting or only planning to.
Additional licensing applies right across the borough to smaller houses in multiple occupation not already covered by the national mandatory scheme, which still covers the larger ones. A property licensed under either HMO scheme does not also need a selective licence. Licences are granted for up to five years, or a shorter term where there are concerns about compliance or management. Fees are on the council’s selective licensing pages, checked on 22 October 2026, and its address checker or City Hall’s property licence checker shows whether a home is in a licensing ward.
Where the EPC comes in
A licence sits alongside the national EPC rules. A home let to a household needs a valid certificate, and most privately rented homes must be rated E or above unless an exemption has been registered — the landlord guide explains, and the HMO guide covers shared homes. If you also need room sizes for an agent or the council, a laser-measured floor plan records every room, from £123 with the EPC in one visit.
What the assessment looks at in a Croydon home
How homes in Croydon score today. The ONS’s latest figures use each home’s most recent EPC lodged in the ten years to March 2025. The typical (median) score here is 69, band C, against 70 across London, and 52% of those homes are rated C or above (London 58%). Homes built before 1929 have a median of 63, against 84 for homes built since 2012; flats and maisonettes come out at 74, terraced houses at 65. How every London borough compares.
60.2% of Croydon households live in a house — 24.7% in a semi, 23.3% in a terrace and 12.2% in a detached house — and 39.7% in a flat.
The Victorian suburbs of the north
Between 1861 and 1911 Thornton Heath was transformed from a rural outpost into a metropolitan suburb. South Norwood grew quickly from the 1850s, with new roads and the Selhurst Park estate, and added terraces and public housing in the twentieth century; Selhurst filled in after its station opened in 1865; and in Norbury most of the housing went up in the thirty years after the first villa of 1859, with the London County Council’s Norbury Cottage Garden Estate following in 1901. Houses of those decades usually have solid walls, recorded as built unless there is evidence of insulation, and many have since been converted into flats.
New Addington and the southern suburbs
Further south the borough turns suburban and rural. In 1935 the First National Housing Trust bought 569 acres of farmland at New Addington to build a garden village of 4,400 houses, the first part still known as the Boot’s Estate. For houses of the 1930s onwards, the cavity walls, loft insulation, boiler and any extension do most to set the rating.
Selling in Croydon
54.7% of Croydon households own their home. An EPC must be ordered before a home goes on the market; the sellers’ guide covers when, and which homes are exempt.
Prices
- Domestic EPC from £69
- EPC + floor plan from £123, in one visit
- Floor plan only from £69
Guide prices by size: £69 up to 52 square metres, which covers most one-bedroom flats, £75 for two bedrooms, £85 for 71 to 95 square metres, £90 up to 110 and from £95 for larger homes. Confirmed in writing before you book. How EPC prices compare across London.
Common questions
Which Croydon wards need a selective licence?
Fourteen of the borough’s 28 wards from 1 September 2026, including Thornton Heath, South Norwood, Selhurst, Norbury Park, Addiscombe East, Addiscombe West and South Croydon. The council says they hold about 72.5% of Croydon’s private rentals.
When did Croydon’s licensing start?
Both new schemes came into effect on 1 September 2026 and run for five years: selective licensing in 14 of the 28 wards, and additional licensing across the whole borough for smaller HMOs not covered by national rules.
Does a shared house in Croydon need a licence?
Yes. Smaller HMOs need an additional licence anywhere in Croydon, and larger ones a mandatory HMO licence; a property with an HMO licence does not also need a selective licence.
How long does a Croydon licence last?
Up to five years, unless there are concerns about compliance or property management that call for a shorter term.
How much is an EPC in Croydon?
From £69 for a home of up to 52 square metres, which covers most one-bedroom flats, £75 for two bedrooms and £85 for 71 to 95 square metres, rising with floor area. There is no travel surcharge anywhere in Greater London.
Nearby
Next door: Lambeth, Bromley, Sutton and Merton. I cover every London borough.