Mr Gaskin operated a HMO. The authority granted him a HMO license in 2009. When he tried to renew his license, the authority tried to charge him £1,799. Mr Gaskin refused saying that the fee was excessive and unlawful. Mr Gaskin paid just £850.00 being what he felt was a reasonable amount to pay. The Authority refused to accept it and refused to process his license. Not having a valid license will mean he can be prosecuted. Mr Gaskin was therefore prosecuted by the Authority. Mr Gaskin applied for a Judicial Review, and he was successful. The Authority had no way of identifying what element of the £1,799 related to 'permissible costs' and the whole fee had to be quashed. If you have any queries about obtaining a HMO license, then please speak to our housing team.