Home / Glossary / Temporary exemption notice
What is Temporary exemption notice?
Last verified 31 October 2026
A temporary exemption notice is a notice a local housing authority may serve under section 62 of the Housing Act 2004 on a person controlling or managing a house that needs a licence but does not have one. While it is in force, the house is not required to be licensed.
Why it matters to landlords
The route is for landlords who intend to stop the property needing a licence, for example by reducing the number of occupiers. You must first tell the council in writing what steps you intend to take. The council decides whether to serve a notice, and it is not obliged to. If it refuses, it must give you written notice of the decision, the reasons, your right of appeal and the appeal deadline.
The first notice lasts 3 months from the date it is served. A second notice can follow for a further 3 months, but only if you notify again and the council thinks exceptional circumstances justify it. No further notice can be served after that. If you are refused, you can appeal to the tribunal within 28 days of the decision date, and the tribunal re-hears the matter and can consider things the council did not know. Do not treat a pending request as protection: until a notice is served, the house is unlicensed.
Example
Joyce's house in Derby has five tenants and needs a licence. She tells the council on 2 June 2027 that three tenants are leaving by 30 August and she will not re-let the rooms. The council serves a notice on 10 June, which runs for 3 months, and the house is not required to be licensed during that time.
Related terms
- Mandatory HMO licensing
- HMO licence
- Additional licensing
- Selective licensing
- HMO (House in Multiple Occupation)