Waltham Forest Council Private Rented Property Licensing (PRPL) Step by Step Guide to completing a PRPL application To reduce anti-social behaviour and improve the lives of our residents, most private rented properties require a licence. walthamforest.gov.uk/prpl 1 A Step by Step Guide to Applying for a Private Rented Property Licence Log-In to My Services using your Email Address and Password Before starting the application be aware that: You should only use Save and Close button if you wish to come out of the form. It is not necessary to save as you go along. All mandatory fields are marked with an asterisk*, you must complete these fields to progress through the form. If you miss a mandatory field you will receive a notice to complete the field. This notice (appearing in red at the top of the form) is a link and will take you to your omission. Throughout the application form you have the option to store the contact details and to retrieve them. Ensure contact details are accurate before storing as retrieving them auto fills the fields and will not allow for manual edits. If the form stops working, or you see an error message you should call Customer Services on 020 8496 3000. It would be helpful if you could let customer services know : If there were any error messages What you were doing when the issue occurred so that we can replicate and investigate What browser you were using. The form will not work correctly in Internet Explorer 8 Type of Application 2 Please click on the link to the application form you wish to complete. The options are: 1. Apply for a Private Rented Property Licence 2. Apply for a Private Rented Property Licence Temporary Exemption Apply for a Private Rented Property Licence To complete the application form you will need to have the required information and documentation to hand before starting. Ensure you have all necessary information and documentation before proceeding. If you will be applying for 4 or less licences click NEXT to begin your first application. Please the follow the guidance from Address of Property to be Licensed below to continue your application. Licensing 5 or more Properties If you will be applying for 5 or more licences you have the option to make a single payment for all, or a number of your licence applications at one time. If you wish to pay for a number of applications with a single payment click on Click here if applying to licence 5 properties or more and continue to enter the number of properties. Once authorisation is received click Return To My Application to continue with your application. Please Note: Once you have requested to make a single payment for 5 or more licence applications your account will be set up to bypass payment and you do not need make this request again. When you have completed your applications and are ready to make payment follow the Step by Step guide to making a single payment for multiple licence applications. 3 Address of Property to be Licensed Be aware that postcodes must be within the borough of Waltham Forest. Properties with postcodes outside of the borough are not eligible to be licenced through LBWF and your application will not be processed. Use the house ICON to find the property address. Enter the full postcode of the property to be licenced. Press SEARCH to see a list of corresponding properties. Scroll through the list and select the address of the property to be licenced and click USE SELECTED ADDRESS to complete the address. If applicable add Flat Number / Details. In the event of the property search function not recognising a Waltham Forest postcode, enter the address manually, ensuring the address if full and correct. An incorrect address would lead to an invalid application. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Contact Details for the Proposed Licence Holder Please enter the name, date of birth (must be 18 years or over), address and contact details of the proposed licence holder. You need to enter these now even if they are the same as the details provided in your registration. The Licence Holder must be a UK resident with a valid UK postcode. If the proposed licence holder is part of an organisation or is going to hold more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on this and further applications. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page 4 Identifying the role and remit of the Proposed Licence Holder Identify and select which of the following the proposed Licence Holder is, the options are: The Applicant (This is the person completing the application form) The Manager of the Property (with responsibility for maintenance and tenants) The Owner of the property (Freeholder or Leaseholder) The Rent Collector (with responsibility for collecting rental payments) The Mortgage Provider (the financial institution with an outstanding loan on the property) Please select all that apply. For example; if you are the owner of the property and you manage the property and collect rent yourself, you should select all of those options. Legal Status Identify and select the legal status of the proposed licence holder. The options are: Individual Company Partnership Other Where the proposed licence holder is an individual and does not fulfil the other roles, you will, as applicable, proceed to pages requesting information about The Applicant, The Manager of The Property, The Owner of the Property, The Rent Collector and the Mortgage Provider. Where the proposed licence holder fulfils all of the roles you will proceed to information about the Mortgage and should continue from there. Where the proposed licence holder is part of a company or is in a partnership you will proceed to Information About the Proposed Licence Holder’s Organisation and you should continue from there. 5 Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Information About the Proposed Licence Holder’s Organisation Please enter the company name, registration number, address and contact details of the proposed licence holder organisation. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided previously. If you have already stored the details of the organisation you can retrieve them by clicking: If the proposed licence holder’s organisation is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Directors, Partners or other persons responsible Please declare how many people are listed as Directors or Partners of the Proposed Licence Holding organisation. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Details of the persons responsible for management of the proposed licence holder organisation Please enter the name, date of birth, position and address of the managers of the proposed licence holder organisation. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided previously. 6 If you have already stored the details of the organisation you can retrieve them by clicking: If the managers of the proposed licence holder organisation are going to be listed on more than one application please store these details for later use, this will save you time on this and further applications. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Information about the Applicant Please enter your name, date of birth, address and contact details. It is necessary to collect the details of the person completing the application even if you will have no further interest with the licence or the property. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided previously. If you have already stored your details you can retrieve them by clicking: If you are going to make more than one application please store these details for later use, this will save you time on this and further applications. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. 7 Identifying the role and remit of the applicant Identify and select which of the following the applicant is, the options are: The Manager of the Property (with responsibility for maintenance and tenants) The Owner of the Property (Freeholder or Leaseholder) The Rent Collector (with responsibility for collecting rental payments) The Mortgage Provider (the financial institution with an outstanding loan on the property) The applicant could be more than one of these, select all that apply. Legal Status Identify and select in what capacity the applicant is completing this form, the options are: Individual Organisation Where the applicant is an individual you will progress to Information About the Manager of the Property and you should continue from there. Where the applicant is part of an organisation you will progress to Information About the Applicant’s Organisation and you should continue from there. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page Information about the Applicant Organisation Please enter the organisation name, registration number, applicants’ position, trading address and contact details of the applicants’ organisation. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided previously. If you have already stored the details of the organisation you can retrieve them by clicking: 8 If the applicant’s organisation is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page Information about the Manager of the Property Please enter the property managers’ title, name, date of birth, address and contact details. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details previously. If you have already stored the details of the manager of the property you can retrieve them by clicking: If the property manager is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Identify and select which of the following the managing agent is, the options are: The Owner of the property (Freeholder or Leaseholder) The Rent Collector (with responsibility for collecting rental payments) 9 The Mortgage Provider (the financial institution with an outstanding loan on the property) The manager of the property could be more than one these things, select all that apply. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page Information about the Owner of the Property Please enter the property owners’ details including; title, name / company name (if applicable), address (including country of residence if not the UK) and contact details. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided previously. If you have already stored the details of the owner you can retrieve them by clicking: If the property owner is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Identify and select which of the following the owner of the property is, the options are: The Rent Collector (with responsibility for collecting rental payments) The Mortgage Provider (the financial institution with an outstanding loan on the property) The property owner could be both or neither of these things, select all that apply. 10 Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page Information about the Rent Collector Please enter the rent collector’s details including; title, name / company name (if applicable), address and contact details. You need to enter or retrieve these now even if they are the same as details provided thus far. If you have previously stored the details of the rent collector you can retrieve them by clicking: If the rent collector is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Identify and select if the rent collector is also the: The Mortgage Provider (the financial institution with an outstanding loan on the property) Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Mortgage Please confirm if there is an outstanding mortgage on the property Where there is an outstanding mortgage on the property you will progress to Information about the Mortgage Provider and you should continue from there. Where there is no outstanding mortgage on the property you will progress to Details of Other Interested Parties and you should continue from there. 11 Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Information about the Mortgage Provider Please provide the name of the bank or building society, the mortgage account number, the address and contact details of the mortgage provider. If you have previously stored the details of the mortgage provider you can retrieve them by clicking: If the mortgage provider is going to be listed on more than one licence please store these details for later use, this will save you time on your next application. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Details of Other Interested Persons Interested parties include all individuals or companies that have a legal interest in the property, including: ■ Any mortgagee (i.e. the mortgage company or financial institution when a loan has been secured against the property) ■ Any other owner of the property to which the application relates (if that is not yourself) i.e. the freeholder and any head lessors who are known to you ■ Any other person who is a tenant or long leaseholder of the property or any part of it (including a flat) who is known to you, other than a statutory tenant or other tenant whose lease or tenancy is for less than 3 years (including a periodic tenancy) ■ Any person who has agreed that he /she will be bound by any conditions(s) in a licence if it is granted 12 In the text box provide the name, address, email address and nature of interest in the property of all other (i.e. those not listed on the application so far) interested persons. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Information about the Property to be Licensed Please provide information on the type of property and how it is occupied, the type of building and date of conversion (if applicable), the date the property was built, the number of storeys and residential units (of the actual property being licensed), the number of households and occupants living at the property. Single Occupation refers to a property where just one household or family have sole use of the facilities. Multiple Occupation refers to a property where more than one household or family share facilities. A household is defined as: - A single person; or - A co-habiting couple (whether or not of the opposite sex); or - A family, including parents, grandparents, children (including foster children, step children and children being cared for), grandchildren, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces or cousins - Any domestic staff are also included in the household if they are living in rent free accommodation provided by the person for whom they are working Habitable Rooms If there is more than one household (i.e multiple occupation) at the property, you will need to upload your Record of Habitable Rooms on the document upload page at the end of the application from. Click here to see a template for recording Habitable Room Sizes. 13 Other Licensed Properties If the proposed licence holder holds any other licences for private rented properties or HMO’s that are licensed under the Housing Act 2004 you will proceed to Other Licensed Properties. If the proposed licence holder does not hold any other licences for private rented properties or HMO’s that are licensed under the Housing Act 2004 you will proceed to Rooms and Facilities. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Number of Other Licenced Properties Please provide the number of properties for which the proposed licence holder already has a licence under Part 2 or 3 of the Housing Act 2004, within Waltham Forest and how many within other Local Authority Areas. Licence Holders holding licences for other properties (in addition to this application) need to provide a list of all properties for which a licence is held. The list must include: the property addresses, the name of the licence issuing authority and the date of the licence. Click here for a template for recording a list of Other Licensed Properties. This list must be uploaded on the document upload page at the end of the application form. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Rooms and Facilities Please provide information on the number of rooms and facilities that are for sole or shared use. If the property does not have a room or facility you must enter zero (0) to progress through the form. ‘Sole use’ refers to the use of a room or facility by a household. ‘Shared use’ refers to the use of a room or facility by more than one household. A ‘household' for the purpose of the Housing Act 2004 comprises: a single person; or co-habiting couples (whether or not of the opposite sex); or a 14 family, including parents, grandparents , children (including foster children, step children and children being cared for), grandchildren, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces or cousins. Any domestic staff if they are living in rent free accommodation provided by the person for whom they are working. If the property is a Studio Flat (i.e. with a space that combines the living space, bedroom and kitchen into a single room) enter 1 by this option and enter zero (0) by the other rooms listed unless they are a separate room with connecting door. Be mindful not to double count the number of facilities at a property. Only provide details on facilities that are in addition to those included in the room information. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Information about Fire Safety at the Property to be Licensed Please provide full details of the fire safety precautions in place at the property for which you are applying for a licence. Please see Glossary of Terms if you need help deciding on the right answers for you property. Please be aware that, for properties with gas appliances, it is mandatory to upload your Gas Safety Certificate with this application and that all other certificates can be requested and must be submitted within 28 days of request. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Fit and Proper Person Declarations Under the Housing Act 2004, the licence holder and the property manager must be ‘Fit and Proper’ persons in order to undertake the responsibilities of managing a private rented property. 15 The Fit and Proper person declaration applies to any person managing the premises and any director or partner in a company or organisation which owns or manages the property. This means having no serious record of poor management or an outstanding criminal charge that is inconsistent with operating as a landlord. It helps to confirm the landlord is both reputable and capable of following good tenancy management. To assist the Council in making proper assessments of suitability, details about previous convictions for criminal offences must be disclosed. Please complete a Fit and Proper Person Declaration for the Licence Holder and the Manager. It is necessary to complete a declaration for each person. Please select Yes or No to answer each question and in the event of an answer being Yes, provide details and date of the offence. The details to be included are; title of the charge or conviction, date of the conviction, length and date of the sentence. After completing the Fit and Proper Person Declaration for the Licence Holder and the Manager of the Property, double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Additional Information Please use this section to add any additional information that you feel could be relevant to the application. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page 16 Confirmation of Supporting Documents For properties with Gas appliances, please confirm that you will be uploading the mandatory Gas Safety Certificate. It is mandatory to upload your Gas Safety Certificate with this application. For Licence Holders that hold other licences under Part 2 or 3 of the Housing Act 2004, please confirm that you will be uploading your Other Licenced Properties Record. It is mandatory to upload your Other Licences Properties Record with this application. For Properties in multiple occupation (more than one household), please confirm that you will be uploading your Record of Habitable Room Sizes. It is mandatory to upload you Record of Habitable Room Sizes with this application. All other supporting documentation can also be added on the document upload page at time of application. If not supplied at the time of application, it may be required as part of the property audit and would need to be uploaded within 28 days. Double check the boxes that you have checked and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Declaration Notifying Interested Persons You must let certain persons know in writing that you have made this application or give them a copy of it. Click here to see a template to Notify Interested Parties form that has been provided for your use. As the applicant it is mandatory to declare that: Notice is being served on all interested parties that this application has been made, and that: The information contained in this application is correct to the best of your knowledge Ensure you have checked the boxes and press NEXT to progress to the next page. 17 Profile Information about the Proposed Licence Holder To assist the council in monitoring its current diversity provision and policies, you are invited to answer 4 questions about the Proposed Licence Holder. It is not compulsory to answer these and does not form part of the application but doing so will help the council to keep its diversity policies in line with the changing population. Double check the information you have provided and press NEXT to progress to the next page. Proceed Your application is nearly complete. All that remains is for you to upload your supporting documentation and for single licence applications, to process payment Press Proceed to progress to the next page. Payment Details The payment will automatically default to the correct amount according to the date of your application. Press PAY to progress to the Payment and Pay Later if your account has authority to make a single payment for multiple applications at a later time. To make a single payment for multiple applications follow the Step-by-Step Guide making a single payment for multiple licence applications. Make A Payment Page Please complete your card details including; card number, start date, expiry date, issue number and security code. Please complete the registered name and address of the card holder. Double check the information you have provided and press SUBMIT to proceed to the next page. We do not accept American Express or Diners Club. 18 Review & Confirm Payment Double check that the amount and card details are correct and press CONFIRM to authorise your payment. Please Wait: It may take a few moments to authorise your payment. During this time do not navigate away from the page or press submit a second time. Online Payment Card Verification To ensure online payment security and to reduce fraud, Waltham Forest Council uses a payment security system called 3D Secure. Your credit or debit card provider must be enrolled with this service and you must have registered your card with the system for payment to be accepted. You may be asked to verify your card on this system as part of the payment process. If you are unsure about this process you should contact your card provider before attempting payment. Some card types are not compatible with this additional security. If this is the case, you are advised to use an alternative card. If your credit / debit card is registered for online verification you will be presented with a pop up window asking for some of the details from your personal password. Enter your password / code and select "Submit." Payment Confirmation and Receipt Please see confirmation of your payment. To receive a receipt for your payment please enter your email address and click the Email button Thank you for your application You will now be given your application reference number. Ensure you keep a record of the number as you will need this number in all communication with Waltham Forest Council and in any future reference to this application. In the case of making more than one application, we suggest you keep a record of each application number against the corresponding address of the property. 19 You are now ready to upload your supporting, documentation including the mandatory gas safety certificate. Press PROCEED to upload your documents. My Application Record You will now see a summary of your application and can proceed to upload your documents. A PDF file of your application has been created and you can SAVE this for your own records. To save your application click on the Application Document link to open the PDF file and Save As. The file name in My Services will not be affected and you can find your applications by their application reference number and the date of your application. Upload Supporting Documentation Press Browse to search for and select each document to upload. For each document you select use the drop down menu to identify the type of document. The choices are: Mandatory Gas Safety Certificate Record of Habitable Room Sizes Record of Other Licenced Properties Other Supporting Documentation When the file name of the document you are uploading appears in the field press UPLOAD and your document will appear in the list with a green tick to show you that it has been uploaded Scroll down to the bottom of the page and press FINISH to complete and submit your completed application YOUR APPLICTION HAS NOW BEEN SUBMITTED AND WILL BE PROCESSED WITHIN 28 DAYS. YOU CAN NOW LOGOUT OR PROGRESS TO COMPLETE ANOTHER APPLICATION VIST MY SERVICES TO: 20 View Submitted Applications Complete Saved Applications Update your user details Change your password Visit WebPayPublic to make a single payment for multiple applications 21