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Draft Selective Licensing Scheme conditions

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  1. 1. Gas

    1. Where gas is supplied to the property, the Licence Holder must ensure that the gas installation and all appliances and flues are maintained in a safe condition.
    2. Any maintenance of or work to the installation, appliances or flues must be carried out by an engineer registered with the Gas Safe Register (or any equivalent registration scheme introduced in the future).
    3. An annual gas safety certificate must be obtained and a copy of that certificate must be produced annually to the council for its inspection.

  2. 2. Electrical Appliances and Furniture

    1. The Licence Holder must keep electrical appliances and furniture made available by him in the house in a safe condition and must supply the Council, on demand, with a declaration by him as to the safety of such appliances and furniture.

  3. 3. Electrical Installation

    1. The licence holder must ensure that every electrical installation in the house is in proper working order and safe for continued use and supply to the Council, on demand, with a declaration by him as to the safety of such installations.

  4. 4. Smoke Alarms

    1. The licence holder must ensure that a smoke alarm is installed on each storey of the house on which there is a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation.
    2. Each such alarm must be kept in proper working order.
    3. The licence holder must supply the Council, on demand, with a declaration by him as to the condition and positioning of such alarms.
    4. For the purposes of this condition, a bathroom or lavatory is to be treated as a room used as living accommodation.

  5. 5. Carbon Monoxide Detectors

    1. The licence holder must ensure that a carbon monoxide alarm is installed in any room in the house which is used wholly or partly as living accommodation and contains a fixed combustion appliance other than a gas cooker.
    2. Each such alarm must be kept in proper working order.
    3. The licence holder must supply the Council, on demand, with a declaration by him as to the condition and positioning of any such alarm.
    4. For the purposes of this condition, "room" includes a hall or landing and a bathroom or a lavatory is to be treated as a room used as living accommodation.

  6. 6. Tenancy Management

    1. The licence holder must supply the following to all tenants, at the beginning of their tenancy:
      1. a)a written statement of the terms on which they occupy the house (tenancy agreement)
      2. b) the name, address and contact numbers of the licence holder and manager (where applicable)
      3. c) a copy of the current gas safety certificate (where applicable)
      4. d) a copy of the current electrical safety report
      5. e) a copy of the current energy performance certificate (EPC)
      6. f) a copy of the selective licence and licence conditions
      7. g) a document detailing how to make a complaint and how to report maintenance issues and disrepair, including contact details for emergencies outside of office hours - that document must be provided to all tenants at the start of their occupation and made available for inspection, on demand, by the Council
    2. The licence holder must demand references from persons who wish to occupy the house.  Copies of those references must be retained for the duration of the tenancy and made available for inspection, on demand, by the Council.

  7. 7. Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

    1. The licence holder must, on demand, supply a copy of the current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the licensed premises to the Council.

  8. 8. Property Management

    1. The licence holder must ensure that:
      1. a) the exterior of the property is maintained in reasonable decorative order and a good state of repair
      2. b) gardens, yards and other external areas within the curtilage of the property are kept in a reasonably clean and tidy condition and free from accumulations of rubbish and building waste
      3. c) all gutters and rainwater downpipes are regularly cleaned and maintained free from obstructions, in good working order and discharge to a suitable drain or sewer
      4. d) boundary walls, fences and gates belonging to the property are maintained in good repair and working order
    2. The licence holder must inspect the property at least every 3 months to ensure that the licence conditions are being met and that it is being maintained in a reasonable condition.  A record of every inspection should be retained for the duration of the licence and a copy made available to the Council, on demand, for its inspection.
    3. The licence holder must not unreasonably cause or permit the interruption of any essential service to the property including:
      1. a) the water supply or drainage
      2. b) the gas or electrical supply
      3. c) the phone line and/or internet connection
    4. The licence holder must ensure that the property can always be maintained in a secure state and that equipment for this purpose, including locks and entry systems, is maintained in good working order.  Where necessary, for example because of damaged doors or windows, action to secure the property should be carried out as soon as is reasonably practicable.
    5. The licence holder must have a suitable process to allow tenants to make repair and maintenance requests.  All such requests must be responded to appropriately as soon as is reasonably practicable and tenants kept informed of the status of their request and the timescale for completion.
    6. The licence holder must ensure that the tenant receives reasonable written notice of their intention to enter the property, specifying the reason why entry is required.  The only exception to this requirement is in the case of an emergency.
    7. All repairs and maintenance to the property must be carried out in a workmanlike manner by competent tradespersons. On completion of works, the property must be left in a reasonable decorative condition.

  9. 9. Safety

    1. The licence holder must take reasonable steps to protect occupants from injury, ensuring:
      1. a) that any unsafe roof or balcony is either made safe or access to it restricted
      2. b) that safeguards are fitted to any window where the sill is situated at or near to floor level to protect occupants from falling through the window
      3. c) that window opening limiters are fitted to every window at first floor and above to prevent falling by children
      4. d) that all windows provided for fire escape purposes are maintained in full working order, are accessible and unobstructed

  10. 10. Rubbish and Waste

    1. The licence holder must ensure that suitable and adequate provision for refuse storage and collection is maintained at the house in accordance with the Council's requirements for refuse collection and recycling.

  11. 11. Overcrowding

    1. The licence holder must ensure that the permitted number of persons residing in the house specified on the licence is not exceeded and that rooms other than bedrooms are not used as sleeping accommodation.

  12. 12. Antisocial Behaviour

    1. The licence holder must take all reasonable and practical steps available to him to reduce antisocial behaviour or criminality by persons occupying or visiting the house and the use of the premises for illegal purposes.  

  13. 13. Notification of Changes

    1. The licence holder must notify the Council of anything that may lead to the variation or revocation of a licence.  Notification should be as soon as is reasonably practicable but in no case longer than 28 days from the change occurring.  These include:
      1. a) details of any unspent convictions not previously disclosed to the Council either for the licence holder or manager that may be relevant to their suitability to hold a licence and in particular any such conviction involving fraud, dishonesty, violence, drugs or any offence listed in Schedule 3 to the Sexual Offences Act 2003
      2. b) details of any finding by a court or tribunal against the licence holder or manager that he has practiced unlawful discrimination in relation to any characteristics protected by law including:
        • age
        • disability
        • gender reassignment
        • pregnancy and maternity
        • race
        • religion or belief
        • sex
        • sexual orientation
        • marriage and civil partnership
      3. c) details of any contravention on the part of the Licence Holder or manager of any provision of any enactment relating to housing, public health, environmental health or landlord and tenant law which led to civil or criminal proceedings resulting in a judgment or finding being made against him
      4. d) information about any property the Licence Holder or manager owns or manages or has owned or managed which has been the subject of either:
        • a control order under section 379 of the Housing Act 1985 in the 5 years preceding the date of the application and since
        • any enforcement action described in section 5(2) of the Housing Act 2004
      5. e) a change of ownership
      6. f) a change of manager
      7. g) a change of address or contact details for either the licence holder or manager

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