Penalties if you do not have a licence
If you deliberately avoid licensing, the Council will consider taking action using all the powers available. You could face:
- prosecution, which carries an unlimited fine
- fines of up to £30,000
- management orders, where the Council takes over the management of the property
- rent repayment orders, where you'll have to pay back up to 12 months of rent you collected
In addition, if the Council discovers an unlicensed property, we could charge an additional 30 percent in fees when you apply for the licence. This is to cover the costs of finding the unlicensed property.