Would a converted house consisting entirely of self-contained flats be liable for licensing?
No – at present self-contained flats in converted blocks are exempted by the government. However, if an individual flat comprises three or more storeys AND is occupied by five or more people in more than one household who share amenities then the individual flat would need to be licensed. There is currently a debate over what floors are taken into account in calculating the number of storeys. Because of the differences in interpretation, the Council has referred the matter to its Legal Services for their opinion. If you own or manage a property which may be affected you are strongly advised to return to this site for updates. Once we receive Legal Services’ opinion, we will update the web site and frequently asked questions. Notwithstanding the above debate they may be subject to Additional or Selective Licensing in the future.
