When can a licence be suspended or revoked?

A licensing authority can suspend a licence if for example in their opinion:

• The licence-holder is no longer a fit and proper person to hold the licence
• The HMO is causing or is likely to cause undue public nuisance or a threat to public order or safety
• The licensing conditions have been breached.

The authority can take into account the behaviour of people in or around the HMO. The process for suspension includes a hearing and appeal process.

A licensing authority can suspend a licence if for example in their opinion:

• The licence-holder is no longer a fit and proper person to hold the licence
• The HMO is causing or is likely to cause undue public nuisance or a threat to public order or safety
• The licensing conditions have been breached.

The authority can take into account the behaviour of people in or around the HMO. The process for suspension includes a hearing and appeal process.

A licence may be revoked by the sheriff if a licence-holder is convicted of a relevant offence in relation to the licence. The relevant offences deal with breach of licensing conditions, preventing the inspection of the HMO or of relevant records, and failing to obtain permission for or inform the licensing authority of material changes. All these offences are punishable by fines, but the sheriff may also decide to revoke the licence, and may disqualify the licence-holder from holding a licence for up to 5 years.