Running a business from home

There are many aspects that will affect whether permission is granted, including conditions within a lease, tenancy agreement, land title or those set by a Local Authority or Management Company. 

These may restrict the type of business allowed or prohibit the operation of a business completely and we will also need to carefully consider the potential impact on the local area and neighbours.

Given the above factors, we would ask that you contact us to discuss your request before submitting your application. We find it helps to explore the background with you as we need to decide every case on its own individual circumstances.

Please note that an admin fee is payable upon application to help cover our costs of carrying out legal checks and due diligence – this will be confirmed to you in advance.

We’ll normally be able to let you know whether we can give you permission within 20 days of receiving your completed application form and will confirm this in writing.

Unless you’re a shared owner, leaseholder or market rent customer, you can contact us to discuss your request before putting in your application and we can give you some guidance.

We’ll normally be able to let you know whether we can give you permission within ten days of receiving your request and will confirm this in writing.

• If you work or run a business from home without our permission, we’ll ask you to stop. We may work with you to address any concerns.
• We’ll check whether it’s legal and whether we can give you permission. 
• If we learn you’re running an illegal business you may lose your home.

If we receive complaints about your business, we’ll work with you to address these.

Please send us copies of any relevant insurances and registrations with trade bodies (or give us quotes if you’ve not applied yet).

Please note, there may be conditions within your tenancy agreement, or estate covenants, which may restrict the type of business you can run from home.

It’s important you tell us how you’ll manage and control risks, such as accidents, fire, food poisoning or harm to the public and property.

We’ll usually give you permission if you follow these conditions:

• you don’t break any planning laws
• any associated risk is controlled appropriately
• your work or business isn’t illegal
• it’s unlikely to cause a nuisance or disturbance to other people in your neighbourhood
• you take responsibility for your customers’ actions
• it doesn’t break tenancy or estate covenants.

Examples of businesses or working from home that could be approved include:

• child minding
• hairdressing and beauty therapy
• using part of your home as an office.

Examples include if your business:

• is likely to cause a nuisance, disturbance or concern to your neighbours, such as problems with parking, numbers of people using your home
• involves the repair or sale of motor vehicles from your home or a communal area
• isn’t registered with appropriate bodies or aren’t insured
• includes any illegal activity
• isn’t of a size appropriate for your home.

We’re not able to give permission to display any notice trade plates, signs or advertisements at your home. 

However, you can advertise your business online or in your community.

Our Business and Enterprise Officer can give you advice on starting or growing your own business.

We also have grants you can apply for – please visit our employment and skills webpage or email employmentandskills@sovereign.org.uk for more details.

If you’d like to run a business from your home, you’ll need to ask for our permission in writing. 

Please send us a letter, or email contact@sovereign.org.uk, including the following details, and one of our locality officers will look at your request:  

• your name
• your address
• your phone number
• your email address
• name of your business
• type of business (for example, hairdressing)
• any trading bodies you've contacted for permission
• when you want to start using your home to run a business.

Please include copies of any relevant documents from the list below.  If you don’t have all of the documents, please let us know, so we can discuss them with you. 

• Registration with HMRC.
• Registration from Companies House.
• Insurance(s) in your name or business name (such as specific insurance, public liability insurance, contents insurance).
• Your risk assessment.
• Your business plan.
• Permission from the local authority (such as planning permission or business registration).  If you don't need permission, let us know why.
• Membership with relevant trade bodies (such as OFSTED).
• Relevant certificates (such as COSHH, first aid, food hygiene, dog handling, beauty).

Please tell us how you intend to minimise any impact on your neighbours (such as noise, increased footfall and potential issues with parking – if this applies).