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Section 70: Power to revoke licences

Housing Act 2004 · 2004 c. 34View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 2: Licensing of houses in multiple occupation

The local housing authority may revoke a licence—

if they do so with the agreement of the licence holder;
in any of the cases mentioned in subsection (2) (circumstances relating to licence holder or other person);
in any of the cases mentioned in subsection (3) (circumstances relating to HMO concerned); or
in any other circumstances prescribed by regulations made by the appropriate national authority.

The cases referred to in subsection (1)(c) are as follows—

where the HMO to which the licence relates ceases to be an HMO to which this Part applies; and
where the authority consider at any time that, were the licence to expire at that time, they would, for a particular reason relating to the structure of the HMO, refuse to grant a new licence to the licence holder on similar terms in respect of it.

Subsection (5) applies where the authority are considering whether to revoke a licence by virtue of subsection (3)(b) on the grounds that the HMO is not reasonably suitable for the number of households or persons specified in the licence as the maximum number authorised to occupy the house.

If the standards—

prescribed under section 65, and
applicable at the time when the licence was granted,

have subsequently been revised or superseded by provisions of regulations under that section, the authority may apply the new standards.

A revocation made with the agreement of the licence holder takes effect at the time when it is made.

Otherwise, a revocation does not come into force until such time, if any, as is the operative time for the purposes of this subsection under paragraph 35 of Schedule 5 (time when period for appealing expires without an appeal being made or when decision to vary is confirmed on appeal).

The power to revoke a licence under this section is exercisable by the authority either—

on an application made by the licence holder or a relevant person, or
on the authority's own initiative.

In subsection (9) "relevant person" means any person (other than the licence holder)—

who has an estate or interest in the HMO concerned (but is not a tenant under a lease with an unexpired term of 3 years or less), or
who is a person managing or having control of that house (and does not fall within paragraph (a)), or
on whom any restriction or obligation is imposed by the licence in accordance with section 67(5).

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.