Redbridge Fit and Proper Person Check for Landlord Licensing

Every Redbridge licence application requires the proposed licence holder and property manager to pass the statutory fit and proper person test. It's a self-declaration backed by council verification, and failing it means the licence is refused.

What the Test Covers

Sections 66 and 89 of the Housing Act 2004 require the council to satisfy itself that the proposed licence holder is a fit and proper person to hold a licence. During the application, you answer a series of background declarations covering:

Criminal convictions — specifically unspent convictions involving fraud, dishonesty, violence, drugs, or sexual offences. Spent convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 are generally not relevant, but unspent convictions in these categories are disqualifying factors.

Housing law breaches — any prior breaches of housing legislation, landlord and tenant law, or statutory nuisance notices. This includes improvement notices, prohibition orders, or compliance notices served by any council, not just Redbridge.

Previous licensing history — any previous refusal, revocation, or enforcement action under property licensing in Redbridge or any other local authority. The test covers licensing history outside Redbridge too.

Discrimination — any history of unlawful discrimination on grounds of sex, colour, race, ethnic origin, or disability.

Banning orders — whether you are currently subject to a banning order under the Housing and Planning Act 2016, which prohibits you from letting or managing residential property.

Who Gets Tested

The test applies to both the proposed licence holder and the proposed manager (if they're different people). If the property is owned by a company, all directors and the company secretary are also assessed.

For joint owners, each person with a legal interest must be identified in the application, and the council can consider the fitness of all of them when deciding whether to grant the licence.

What Happens If You Fail

If the council determines that the proposed licence holder is not fit and proper, it refuses the licence application. The Part A fee is not refunded.

The council may also consider whether an alternative person could hold the licence instead — for example, a co-owner or managing agent who does pass the test. But the person taking over as licence holder must genuinely have control of the property's management.

Ongoing Duty

The fit and proper requirement isn't a one-time check at application. If a material change in circumstances occurs during the licence term, the licence holder has a duty to notify Redbridge in writing within 28 days. The council can review the licence and may revoke it if the holder no longer satisfies the fit and proper test.

Practical Preparation

Before starting the application:

• Review your unspent convictions, if any, and understand whether they fall within the disqualifying categories
• Check whether any other council has served housing enforcement notices on you
• If you use a managing agent, confirm their fit and proper status too — their declaration is part of the application
• For company-owned properties, ensure all current directors can pass the test

The declarations are made under the application's legal declaration, and providing false or misleading information is itself an offence.

The Redbridge Landlord Licensing Guide walks through each declaration question with explanations of what the council is actually asking, so you can prepare accurate responses before you hit the 28-day portal timer.

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