In order to make a collection on a street or by going house-to-house, it is necessary to obtain a licence or a permit from the local council. With street collections, each council adopts its own rules. These will normally stipulate how long the collection can run for, who may collect and in what manner. It is therefore as well to check with the relavent council before organising a collection.
In the case of house-to-house collections, the local council can grant a licence for up to 12 months. There is the possibility of an exemption which is granted by the Secretary of State, but these are relatively few in number.
The council can refuse a licence, for example if they feel that not enough of the proceeds are going to charity, that the applicant is not a ‘fit and proper’ person or if there has been a refusal to supply information in order for a decision to be reached. Unlike street collection permits, there is a right to appeal. Our solicitors have experience of these types of appeal and to date we have a 100% success rate.
