Apply for interim authority notice

A premises licence will lapse on the death, incapacity or insolvency of the holder. The effect of an interim authority notice is to reinstate the premises licence as if the person giving the notice is the holder of the licence. This allows licensable activities to continue for a maximum period of three months pending its formal disposal or transfer. 

You may give an interim authority notice if you:

  • Have a legal interest in the premises as freeholder or leaseholder
  • Are a limited company, partnership, unincorporated association or other organisation with a legal interest in the premises as a freeholder or leaseholder
  • Are a personal representative for the former premises licence holder (where the former licence holder has died)
  • Have power of attorney
  • Are the insolvency practitioner for the former premises licence holder

What you need to do

You must give the notice to us within 28 days beginning the day after the licence lapsed. You must also send a copy of the notice and copies of any accompanying documents to the police and Home Office (Immigration Enforcement).

If you are applying as an individual or partnership (which is not a limited liability partnership) you must demonstrate that you have an entitlement to work in the UK and are not subject to a condition preventing you from doing work relating to the carrying on of a licensable activity. To do this you must provide copies or scanned copies of the relevant documents with your application.  

What happens next?

The notice becomes effective as soon as it is served on us. The person who gives the notice then becomes the holder of the licence.

Fee

The notification must be accompanied by the prescribed fee.

How to apply for an interim authority notice

You can apply for an interim authority notice in one of two ways:

Online 

  • Complete the form online GOV.UK)
  • Save a copy of the completed form for your own records
  • Make the payment using a debit or credit card
  • You do not need to send an additional copy to the Police or Home Office (Immigration Enforcement) when you make an online application, as we will fulfil these requirements.

Paper

  • Download and complete the application form
  • Keep a copy of the completed form for your own records
  • Enclose the existing premises licence, or if not available a statement why the licence cannot be returned
  • Send the original completed form with a cheque for the required payment (made payable to Wandsworth Council) to the Safety and Licensing Team
  • Send a copy of your application to the:

Police Licensing Department
Lavender Hill Police Station
176 Lavender Hill
London
SW11 1JX

And to

Home Office (Immigration Enforcement)
Alcohol Licensing Team 
Lunar House 
40 Wellesley Road 
Croydon CR9 2BY

You should note that the application process will not start until the fee is received.

What happens next?

As soon as we receive your notification, we will check to ensure that the notice is valid and that it has been submitted to the police.

If we identify a problem

If there is a minor problem with the notice, we may contact you for further information or may return the notice to you for correction. Where there is a fundamental error, the notice may be rejected.

Objections by the police/Home Office

If the police or Home Office have concerns, they may object to the application (within 2 working days). In such cases we will contact you. If you wish to proceed with the application we will hold a hearing of the Council's licensing committee to decide on the notification.

If no objections are received

The notice comes into effect and will last for a maximum of 3 months. You must apply to transfer the licence within this time, otherwise the licence will lapse. We will issue you with the premises licence.

You must notify the designated premises supervisor (DPS) of the interim authority notice.