FAQs

Why do I need to apply for a Selective Licence?

Please visit the Local Authority’s website for further information about Selective Licensing in Peterborough. The website will tell you everything you need to know about Selective Licensing and any active schemes in your area.

You will also find information about the consultation, the licence conditions and your obligations as a Landlord.

The following link will take you directly to the appropriate page:

https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/housing/selective-licensing/selective-licensing-overview

Who is Home Safe?

Home Safe is a Delivery Partner that works with Local Authorities on the administration of their property licensing schemes, enabling Local Authorities to focus their resources on targeted enforcement against non compliant Landlords. By working with a Delivery Partner the Local Authority is able to provide Landlords with an online property portal enabling them to add their properties, submit licence applications and manage their ongoing compliance.

As part of Home Safe’s service we provide a managed licence application service to Landlords, funded by the Local Authority, to ensure that Landlords are supported in submitting a compliant application. The Delivery Partner also manages and delivers the inspection programmes during the scheme and is responsible for identifying issues within a property that will require managing within an agreed compliance management process. It's important to note that the Local Authority is the Licensing Authority and any licence issued or enforcement delivered will be done via the Local Authority.

How do I apply for a licence?

To apply for a licence you must submit an application via Home Safe. To do that you will firstly need to register yourself after which you can then add your property and apply for your licence. You will find a link to register and login in the top right corner of this website and once registered you will then need to use the login button to access the portal where you can add your properties and submit your licence applications. Please note that you can only apply for a licence once the relevant scheme has gone live.

What information will I need?

In order to submit a licence application you will need to have all relevant information about the property and the tenancy to hand as well as electronic copies of all relevant certificates such as an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR), Gas Certificate (GSC) and your Insurance Certificate, In cases of HMO properties that require a Selective Licence, you may also need any fire safety related certificates.

Please note you will be required to provide contact numbers and email addresses for all relevant interested parties such as the tenant, mortgage companies, Agents and in cases of leasehold flats, the freeholder. You will also need to provide details of the appropriate person to contact in order to arrange property inspections.

Who is the most suitable person to be a licence holder?

It is expected that the most appropriate person to be the licence holder would be the person acting as Landlord and this would typically be the property owner and the individual in receipt of the rental income. Applications from any individuals that are not the property owner will be subject to review and may require supporting information to be submitted. If the property is owned by a limited company then the most appropriate person to be the licence holder would be the individual registered as the person in significant control and where there is no identified individual in significant control it should be the majority shareholder or a nominated director.

It's worth noting that if you do not reside in the UK then you will be unable to be a licence holder and you will need to nominate an alternative individual to be the licence holder, who in turn must be formally empowered and financially enabled to make decisions regarding the property as they will be bound by the licence conditions. It is important to note that the licence holder is the person legally responsible for the property and the person against whom any enforcement action would be taken, should that be necessary.

Can my Agent be the licence holder?

If you are the property owner and you reside in the UK then you are the most appropriate person to be the licence holder and your Agent should be added to your application as an interested party, using the ‘Add Agent’ feature within your application. It is not appropriate for an Agent to be the licence holder unless proper justification can be provided, such as the property owner not residing in the UK.

Please note that in order to add your Agent, your Agent must first register and verify themselves with Home Safe. If an Agent does not appear in the list of available Agents then you can add your Agent manually in order to proceed and Home Safe will seek to verify them. If the Agent is not responsive then you will be required to remove them from your application or add a verified Agent in order for your application to be considered a valid submission.

What if I need to change my Agent after my licence has been granted?

Once your licence has been issued you can go back to your portal, go to your licenced property and request a ‘variation’ in order to change or remove your Agent.

How long will it take to do an application?

If you have all the required information to hand then submitting a valid application should take no more than 5 minutes per property. Please note that once you have started an application you have 28 days to complete and submit that application. Failure to do this will result in your application locking and you will then be required to request for it to be ‘unlocked’ and provide reasons as to why you were unable to complete your application within the 28 day period. This could result in enforcement action being taken against you for failure to licence.

How long will I have to complete my application, once I have started it?

Once an application has been started you will have 28 Days to complete and submit your application. An application is only considered to have a valid submission if all the information provided is correct, the certificates are valid and full payment has been received. During the 28 day period you will receive a number of email reminders but following the expiry of the 28 days your application will lock and you will need to contact Home Safe in order for the application to be unlocked. Please note, you are required to make an application for a licence within 28 days of the intention to let the property, for example if you have recently purchased a vacant property that you wish to let, and failure to do so could result in a significant fine and is considered a criminal offence.

How much will it cost?

The total cost of a licence, payment of which must be submitted with your application in order for your application to be considered complete, is £908, Part A of which equates to £538 and Part B equates to £370.

How do I pay for my application?

At the end of the application process you will be asked to pay your licence fee, in full, using a UK debit or credit card. If you are unable to make your payment using a card then you will need to contact Home Safe to explore other payment options. Please note that following the submission of your completed application and once in receipt of your payment, Home Safe will hold your licence fee in a holding account and transfer part A to the Local Authority once your licence application has been processed and part B, once the Local Authority has advised that they have issued your licence.

Can I pay monthly or annually?

No, the licence fee must be paid in full with your application. Only an application complete with copies of all requested documentation and payment will be considered submitted.

What happens if any of my property certificates expire before my application is processed?

Once you have submitted your application you are required to ensure that your latest certificates are always uploaded to your property portal in order to demonstrate ongoing compliance. By doing this your property certificates should always be up to date. Failure to provide up to date certificates can result in enforcement action by the Local Authority, and in some cases your licence may be revoked.

What happens once my application is submitted?

Once your application has been submitted it will show as submitted in your portal and you will receive email confirmation that you have submitted a valid application. Following this Home Safe will review your application and once all information is verified it will be passed to the Local Authority for processing. It's worth noting that during this time Home Safe or the Local Authority may need to come back to you for further information. Once a valid application has been processed, the applicant and all identified interested parties will be sent a draft licence and, after a period of 35 days, if there have been no representations made that require further investigation then the Local Authority can issue the final licence. It’s important to note that the process of issuing a final licence can take up to 6 months, if you have received your email confirmation of a valid application then please do not chase up your licence until six months have elapsed.

Tacit consent is not applicable to this type of application as the Local Authority must ensure that the applicant licence holder is the most appropriate person, is a ‘Fit and Proper Person’ and that the property connected with the application is within the designated Selective Licensing scheme area.

Do I get any training?

Yes, in your application submission confirmation email there is a link to some free online training to assist you in further understanding Selective Licensing and what this means for both the licence holder and the tenant.

When will I get my first inspection?

There will be 2 inspection programmes during the duration of the scheme, the first programme is scheduled to commence 3 months after the start date of the scheme and it is expected that each programme will run for between 18-24 months, the duration of which is dependent upon many factors but mainly access. Our inspectors will attempt to schedule the property inspection using the information provided during your application, which you are expected to update during the scheme if there have been any changes. Please note that it remains the responsibility of the licence holder to facilitate access even if a third party has been nominated as a point of contact.

What if I change my personal details?

If there is a change to your personal address then you must apply for a variation to your licence in order to update your details. This can be done in your portal.

What if I no longer need a licence?

Once your licence has been issued you can go to your portal and request a revocation (which is essentially a termination request). This is typically done if you have sold the property, no longer intend to let the property or no longer wish to be the licence holder. Please note that no refunds will be issued for any licences terminated before the expiry date of the scheme.

What if I sell the property?

You will need to submit a revocation request in order to have your licence revoked, which you can do in your portal.

If I sell my property am I entitled to a refund?

No, there are no refunds available for licence fees.

Are there any exemptions?

Yes. The full list of exemptions can be found on the Local Authority’s website and can be accessed using the following link. Exemptions. Please note a temporary exemption application carries a fee of £150 per property and if granted will last for 3 months.

Is the licence transferable?

No. Each licence is for the named licence holder and if, for whatever reason, that person needs to change then a new application and accompanying fee must be submitted.

What are the penalties for not having a Selective Licence?

It is against the law for any Landlord to rent out a property in a designated Selective Licence area without a licence. The Local Authority is committed to working with other partner agencies to find unlicensed properties and take legal action.

Landlords with unlicensed rented properties can face a financial penalty of up to £30,000 or an unlimited fine from the court. Their control of unlicensed properties can be removed and they can be ordered to repay up to 12 months rent to the Local Authority or their tenants.

If you are aware of a property being let that does not have a licence please email selectivelicensing@peterborough.gov.uk with any details.

What happens after the licence is issued?

Once the licence has been issued by the Local Authority, you are operating legally but you must continue to comply with the licence conditions. Within the licence period, Home Safe intends to carry out two property inspections of each licensed property. This is to ensure no serious hazards exist in your property. Following the completion of each inspection you will receive a report, by email, which will detail any identified issues and will categorise such issues as Advisory or Potentially Enforceable. You will be expected to resolve any identified issues in a reasonable timescale and provide evidence that such issues have been resolved. If this evidence is not provided the Local Authority may take enforcement action against you as the licence holder.

Throughout the duration of the scheme, Licence Holders are expected to keep the information in their property portal up to date at all times including the updating of any new certificates, failure to do so could result in enforcement action by the Local Authority.

What are the licence conditions attached to a licence?

The full list of licence conditions can be found here.

Can I apply directly to the Local Authority?

No. The Local Authority has engaged the services of a Delivery Partner, Home Safe, to manage the application process. In essence applying via Home Safe is the same as applying directly to the Local Authority, so applications must be made through the Home Safe platform.

What is the benefit of the Local Authority engaging a Delivery Partner to support them with the delivery of their scheme?

With regard to applications, it removes the administrative burden from the Local Authority and allows them to focus their activities on issuing licences and enforcement. With regard to property inspections, it allows for a greater volume of inspections to be carried out which serves to highlight the worst performing Landlords. In all scenarios the Local Authority can focus its resources on enforcing, against those most deserving, in a more efficient and effective way.

For Landlords, Home Safe provides additional help, training and support throughout the entire licensing period. In recognition of the financial pressures that some Landlords may experience, as a result of licensing, Home Safe has negotiated a number of discounts with reputable organisations that Licence Holders can benefit from. To see the current discounts available please visit the ‘Landlord Discounts’ area of our website or select the following link Landlord Discounts.

How can I contact Home Safe?

In the first instance all enquiries should be sent by email to info@home-safe.org.uk