How to make a complaint about a licensed service

We investigate all relevant complaints about licensable services as part of our public safety and animal welfare role. The forms below can be used to register complaints about those services. These forms may also be used to report activities that are being provided unlawfully without a licence.

Some complaints will lead to formal action being taken by the council in the courts. You must be prepared to give evidence in court to support an investigation if it leads to formal action.

What is a licensed service that can lead to complaints?

The relevant services licensed by the council include:

• Taxi and private hire services
  These include hackney carriage (taxi) and private hire drivers and vehicles plus private hire operators.
• Licensed alcohol and entertainment premises
  Such as pubs, clubs, supermarkets, cinemas, theatres and late night refreshment retailers. Complaints must relate to the licensed activity such as:
• sale of alcohol
• provision of regulated entertainment
• late night foods and drink sales.
• Licensed Gambling premises
  Such as betting shops, bingo premises, gaming machine premises, Lotteries. Complaints must relate to the licensed gambling elements of the business.
• Animal Welfare licensed premises
  Such as pet shops, dog and cat boarding establishments, Riding schools, keepers of dangerous wild animals, zoos and dog breeders. We can also deal with some other serious animal welfare concerns (not farm animals). Complaints must relate to the licensee or the conditions at the licensed premises.
• Street Traders
  Such as food sellers, flower sellers.
• Charity Street and house to house collections
• Sex Establishments
• Scrap Metal Dealers and Collector
• Licensed pavement cafes
• Performances of hypnotism for entertainment (excludes hypnotherapy)

Making a complaint

Make a complaint about a Hackney carriage or Private Hire service

Make a complaint about other services licensed by the council

What we can't deal with using these forms

We cannot deal with complaints that do not relate to the licence that authorises the activities.

Any complaints about council staff should be directed through the council's complaints process.

Where complaints are received that we cannot deal with we will advise you. We will try and refer you to the correct department or organisation where possible.

Enforcement Policy

Shared Licensing Enforcement Policy(PDF) [526 kb]