Applying for a Licence
How do I apply for a licence ?
You should contact the Housing Improvement Team at Thanet
District Council if you think your property needs a licence.
They can offer advice and send you an application form and
information pack.
Alternatively Download the
application pack. PDF, (2.48mb)
The application form will contain notes to help you complete it.
It also asks you to provide certain information, which you must
include with your application form.
The application form and all supporting documents must be
returned to the Housing Improvement Team.
If you are having problems with obtaining the information
required, please contact the team immediately to advise them that
your application may be delayed.
Please be aware that unnecessary delays in making an application
may lead to the Council instigating prosecution proceedings, which
could lead to fines of up to £20,000.
Your application will only be processed if it is complete and
all necessary documentation has been provided. You will be advised
if any information is missing.
Charges
A fee will be charged for each licence applied for. The fee is
based on the size of the property and payment must be included with
your application. Current fee
charges are available here
Granting a licence
From the information you provide in your application, the
Housing Improvement Team will make a decision as to whether a
licence should be granted, or, refused.
If a licence is granted, it will have a number of conditions
attached to it. These conditions will relate to the maintenance and
management of the property.
A breach of these conditions may lead to prosecution of the
licence holder, with fines of up to £5000 for each breach of
conditions.
Owners and managers can hold a licence for a property. It is
preferable that the licence holder is local to the property, to
ensure it can be properly managed and problems are dealt with
quickly.
Standard licence conditions
The following conditions must be followed by all licence
holders:
- A valid gas safety certificate must be submitted to the
Housing Improvement Team every year
- Electrical appliances and furniture provided in the property
must be kept in a safe condition
- The landlord must supply a declaration on the safety of all
appliances and furniture used in the property
- Smoke alarms must be installed in the house and they must be
kept in proper working order at all times
- All occupiers must be provided with a written statement of the
terms by which they occupy the property e.g. a tenancy
agreement
Other conditions that may be added could include:
- Restrictions on the use or occupation of parts of the
property
- Requirement of reasonable and practicable steps to be taken to
prevent or reduce anti-social behaviour by persons occupying or
visiting the house
When a licence is granted to a House of Multiple Occupation
(HMO), the Housing Improvement Team must inspect the property
within 5 years. Thanet District Council’s Housing Improvement
Team plan to inspect all licensed properties within a two year
period.
The purpose of the inspection is to ensure that the HMO is free
from hazards that affect the health and safety of the residents and
their visitors.