Appeals and penalties

Appeals

If your application is refused you, the applicant and relevant persons, will receive a copy of Notice of Refusal to Grant a Licence. This will explain the reasons why your application has been refused.

You have 28 days to appeal the decision. You do not appeal to us but to an independent tribunal. The tribunal is independent of government and will listen to both sides of the argument before making a decision.

If you are still unhappy with the outcome you can appeal the tribunals decision.

Penalties for an unlicensed property

If you don't apply for a licence and are found out we may impose a civil penalty, to a maximum of £30,000 or we can prosecute you.

The penalties can be

• an unlimited fine;
• a possible prison sentence;
• your tenants can apply for up to the last 12 months their rent to be repaid 
• we can apply for up to 12 months of Housing Benefit to be repaid
• you could receive a ban from being a landlord of any property for at least one year
• if you are banned we could take the property from you and manage it, keeping the rent to cover the costs and to improve the property. You will still have to pay the mortgage if there is one.