How to Change the Licence Holder or Property Manager on a Liverpool Licence

The Critical Rule: Licences Don't Transfer

A Liverpool landlord licence is issued to a specific person (or company) for a specific property. Under Section 68(6) (HMO) and Section 91(6) (selective) of the Housing Act 2004, licences are non-transferable. If the property changes hands, the licence dies with the sale.

This catches buyers by surprise. You complete on a licensed property, assume the licence transfers with it, and find yourself operating unlicensed from day one. The purchasing landlord must submit a fresh application in their own name through the LAR portal and pay the applicable fee. There's no discounted rate for "continuation," but a property bought with a tenant in situ may qualify for the New Rental Property fee if it meets the new-rental criteria and the buyer applies within 14 days of completion.

The council offers no grace period for this transition. If you buy a property and take over letting it without applying, you're immediately operating without a licence in a designated ward — exposed to civil penalties of up to £40,000 for offences committed on or after 1 May 2026, and rent repayment orders from the tenants.

Changing the Named Manager

If the licence holder stays the same but you're switching managing agents or moving from agency management to self-management, the process is less drastic. You request a licence variation by emailing Liverpool City Council's Private Sector Housing team at [email protected].

The variation request should include:

• The property address and licence reference number
• The name and contact details of the outgoing manager
• The name, contact details, and fit-and-proper information for the incoming manager
• Confirmation that the new manager has been informed of the licence conditions

The incoming manager must satisfy the fit-and-proper person test. The council reviews the variation request and issues a formal Notice of Variation. Minor administrative updates (new manager contact details, corrected address information) typically incur no fee.

What Happens When a Licence Holder Dies

When the named licence holder dies, the licence ceases to be in force. A statutory temporary exemption of three months applies automatically under Section 62 (HMO) or Section 86 (selective) of the Housing Act 2004. This gives personal representatives time to settle the estate, decide whether to keep the property, and — if they're continuing to let it — apply for a new licence.

The three-month window is automatic; you don't need to apply for it. But it's strict. If the estate is still being administered after three months and no new application has been submitted, the property is unlicensed.

Company Dissolution

If a limited company holds the licence and is dissolved at Companies House, the licence terminates on the date of dissolution. There's no temporary exemption equivalent. If the company is being struck off voluntarily, the licence should be dealt with before dissolution — either by applying for a new licence in a different name or by vacating the property.

Property Sale Protocol

If you're selling a licensed property with sitting tenants:

Before exchange: Inform the buyer that the licence doesn't transfer and they'll need to apply immediately on completion. Include this in the property information pack if you're using one.

On completion: Notify the council that you're no longer the licence holder. The buyer should submit their LAR portal application on or before the completion date. Having a duly made application pending provides legal cover during processing.

If the property is vacant at completion: No licence is needed while the property isn't let. The buyer only needs to apply when they take on tenants.

The cost of a new selective licence application is a legitimate due diligence item in property negotiations — particularly for portfolio transactions where relicensing multiple properties adds up quickly at £704 (current standard rate) or potentially £995 (proposed 2027 base rate) per property. Mandatory HMO licences use a separate fee schedule.

Our Liverpool Landlord Licensing Guide covers licence lifecycle management, including a checklist for property sales, manager changes, and death-of-licence-holder scenarios.

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