Gateshead Selective Licensing Documents Needed: The Complete Checklist

The most expensive mistake in a Gateshead licence application is not the fee itself — it is submitting an incomplete application and losing time and money. A £25 charge applies when an application is returned for missing information or requires repeated council follow-up. If the council refuses an application, it retains Part A (£510 for selective, £585.80 for additional HMO); full refunds are available for applications submitted in error, such as duplicates or properties outside the scheme.

Here is every document you need ready before you open the MetaStreet portal.

Mandatory Documents for Every Application

1. Landlord Gas Safety Record (CP12)

An annual inspection certificate issued by a Gas Safe registered engineer. It must be current — not expired — at the time of submission. If the property has no gas supply or gas appliances, you still need to declare this on the application.

The CP12 must be renewed every 12 months for the entire licence term. It is also a licence condition: you must supply a copy to tenants within 28 days of the inspection and provide a copy to the council on demand within 7 days.

2. Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

A satisfactory EICR from a competent electrician (typically registered with NAPIT, NICEIC or ELECSA). Maximum validity is 5 years. If the EICR outcome is "unsatisfactory," you must complete the remedial work and get a satisfactory re-test before the council will process the licence.

3. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

Minimum rating E. If the property scores F or G, you must either improve it to at least E or register a valid exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register before applying. The EPC is valid for 10 years.

4. Written Tenancy Agreement

A copy of the current tenancy agreement showing rent amount, deposit protection details and occupant responsibilities. If the tenancy has been renewed or varied, include the most recent version.

5. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Declarations

Working smoke alarms must be fitted on every storey of the property. Carbon monoxide alarms are required in any room with a fixed combustion appliance (gas boiler, coal fire, wood burner). You declare on the application that these are installed and tested — and maintaining them is an ongoing licence condition.

Additional Documents for HMO Applications

If you are applying for an additional or mandatory HMO licence, you also need:

6. Property Floor Plans

Scaled layout plans showing room dimensions (in square metres), amenity locations (kitchen, bathrooms, toilets), escape routes and room usage. HMOs must meet minimum room sizes: 6.51m² for a single occupant aged 10+, 10.22m² for two occupants. Rooms under 4.64m² cannot be used as sleeping rooms.

Fit-and-Proper Person Declarations

Every applicant completes a self-declaration covering:

• Unspent criminal convictions (fraud, dishonesty, violence, drugs, sexual offences)
• Prior housing enforcement actions, unlawful eviction or tenant harassment findings
• Tribunal findings of unlawful discrimination
• Any business associates who fail the same tests

These are statutory declarations under the Housing Act 2004. False information is an offence under Section 238. Licence holders must also submit annual self-declarations confirming ongoing compliance throughout the licence term.

Getting It Right First Time

The MetaStreet portal allows you to save a draft application, so you do not need every document uploaded in one sitting. But the application is not "duly made" until all required documents and declarations are attached and Part A is paid; an incomplete application that is later rejected does not shield you from enforcement.

The Gateshead Landlord Licensing Guide includes a printable pre-submission audit that covers every document, the exact format each one needs and common rejection triggers that cost landlords their Part A fee.

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