Review of Civic and HMO Licence Fees
Perth and Kinross Council · 9 March 2026
Back to Licensing Committee — 9 March 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality _______________________________________________________________ Committee or Board: Licensing Committee Date of Meeting: 9 March 2026 Report Title: Review of Civic and HMO Licence Fees Report Number: 26/56 Report Author: Sarah Rodger, Legal Manager Organisational Lead: Lisa Simpson, Strategic Lead, Legal and Governance ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this Report is to recommend that the Committee approves an increase in fees for civic government and HMO licences, with effect from 1 April 2026. 1.2 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendations 3. Background 4. Current Considerations 5. Proposals 6. Conclusion/Rationale for Recommendations 7. Impact Assessments 8. Appendices 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Licensing Committee: 2.1 approves the increase in fees as shown in Appendices 1 and 2, with effect from 1 April 2026.
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3. Background 3.1 The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 and the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 give the Council power to set fees for individual licences in order to recover the cost of providing the civic government and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing functions. In setting the fees, the Council must ensure that the income received through fees meets the expenses incurred in exercising its functions under the Acts. 3.2 Fees for these licences were last reviewed in March 2025. The proposed change represents an inflationary increase of 4% which is consistent with the Council’s medium term financial plan (report 24/350 refers) where the mid- range assumption for 2026/2027 is 4% for fees and charges. 3.3 This review has been undertaken in accordance with the recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee report Charging for Services (report 15/65 refers) and the revised Corporate Charging Policy of full cost recovery for providing a service. 3.4 The Council’s Corporate Plan 2022/23 to 2027/28 lays out five outcome focussed strategic objectives which provide clear strategic direction, inform decisions at a corporate and service level and shape resources allocation. The following objective is relevant to this report: 3.5 People and businesses are increasingly able to prosper in a local economy which supports low carbon ambitions and offers opportunities for all. 4. Current Considerations 4.1 The fees for Short Term Let Licences are not included in this report as those fees are being reviewed separately and a separate report will be submitted to the Committee in relation to this. 5. Proposals 5.1 It is proposed that: 5.1.1. a 4% increase in fees is made to all fees for licences listed in the Appendices; and 5.1.2 the increase in fees take effect from 1 April 2026. 6. Conclusion/Rationale for Recommendations 6.1 Fee increases are necessary to ensure that the costs of operating the licensing system are fully recovered through fees.
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7. Impact Assessments 7.1 Please see Impact Value Assessment attached as Appendix 3. 8. Appendices 8.1 Appendix 1 - Perth and Kinross Council - Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 Proposed List of Fees 8.2 Appendix 2 - Perth and Kinross Council – Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Proposed List of Fees 8.3 Appendix 3 – Impact Value Assessment