Brighton HMO Licence Documents: EICR, Gas Safety, PAT, and DASH Checklist Requirements

The Documents You Must Upload

Brighton and Hove's online licensing portal requires specific safety certificates and operational documents before it will treat your application as "duly made." Missing even one can delay or cancel the whole thing — and Part A is non-refundable. Here's what you need.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)

An annual inspection by a Gas Safe registered engineer covering every gas appliance in the property. The certificate must be valid (within 12 months) at the point of application. Once licensed, you're required to supply an updated CP12 to the council within seven days of a demand.

If the property has no gas supply, you won't need this — but you'll need to confirm that on the application form.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

A satisfactory report issued within the last five years by a qualified electrician. "Satisfactory" means no outstanding Code C1 (danger present) or Code C2 (potentially dangerous) observations. If your EICR flags C1 or C2 items, those remedial works must be completed within 28 days.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Mandatory for HMO applications (both mandatory and additional schemes) where the landlord supplies electrical appliances — kettles, toasters, washing machines, microwaves. PAT is conditional for selective licensing, applying only when you've provided appliances.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

A valid EPC showing the property meets the minimum Band E standard. If you want to claim the £75 fee discount, you need Band C or higher at the time of application, or a Band D or E rating if that is the property's maximum potential rating.

Fire Alarm Certificate

For HMO applications, you need a commissioning or periodic test certificate for the fire detection system. Brighton expects a BS 5839 Grade D1 or D2 system as a minimum in licensed HMOs — interlinked smoke and heat detectors on every storey plus the kitchen and living areas.

Dimensioned Floor Plan

A sketch or drawn plan showing every room's use, floor area in square metres, door positions, and fire escape routes. Ceiling heights below 1.5 metres must be marked and excluded from the usable floor area calculation. The portal asks for this as an upload — photographs of the property are not a substitute.

Tenancy Agreement

A written tenancy agreement for every occupancy in the property, showing the terms of the let, rent amount, and deposit protection details.

Property Inspection Logs

Records of six-monthly landlord inspections. Brighton and Hove explicitly recommends the DASH (Decent and Safe Homes) HHSRS Landlord Checklist format. Your inspection logs need dates, findings, and any remedial actions taken. The council can demand these within 28 days at any time during the licence term.

What Gets Applications Rejected

The most common reasons for rejection or cancellation:

• Expired certificates. A Gas Safety Certificate that was valid when you booked the inspection but expired before you got around to submitting the portal application.
• Floor plans without measurements. The council's instructions mention "a sketch" but expect annotated measurements in square metres, ceiling heights, and fire safety equipment positions.
• Unfixed EICR codes. Uploading an EICR with outstanding C1 or C2 observations without evidence of completed remedial works.
• Non-response to requests. If the council asks for a missing or updated document and you don't respond within 28 days, the application is cancelled.

In each case, the Part A fee is forfeited.

The Brighton and Hove Landlord Licensing Guide includes a pre-upload document audit checklist and a floor plan annotation guide to help you get it right the first time.

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