A business can request a reinspection during the term of a licence. Local authorities must have a procedure in place to do this and reassess the star rating. Reinspection applies where businesses with ratings of 1 to 4 have accepted their rating, but have subsequently made the improvements needed to address non-compliances identified during the previous inspection. At the time of any inspection, the local authority officer should check that the required improvements have been made and assess the ongoing standards. This means that the star rating could go up, down or remain the same. If a business wants to request a reinspection, they should:
outline the case for a reinspection
indicate what the business has done to improve the level of compliance or welfare since the inspection - this should refer to actions recommended by the local authority
include supporting evidence, if appropriate
be sent to the local authority in writing or by email
Where there is evidence that supports a request for reinspection, local authorities should appoint an inspector to reinspect the licence holder. Local authorities must not give a new star rating based only on documentary evidence. The reinspection should be done within 3 months of receipt of the request. If an inspection does not happen within 3 months, the business can raise the issue with the head of the licensing department within the local authority. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the business can make a complaint following the local authority complaints procedure. Reinspection fees The business must pay for the cost of the reinspection. The local authority will set the cost for this. There is no limit to the number of reinspection visits a business can request. However, there will be a fee for each visit charged, at full cost recovery. Refusing a request for reinspection A local authority does not need to accept every request for a reinspection. If the case made by the business is not substantiated or insufficient evidence is provided, the local authority can refuse. The local authority must explain why the request is being refused at this stage and should re-emphasise what the licence holder must do to improve their rating. The local authority needs to say what evidence they need for a reinspection. If the business disagrees with the local authority’s decision to refuse a request for a reinspection, they can raise the issue with the head of the licensing department within the local authority. If the disagreement cannot be resolved, the business can make a complaint following the local authority complaints procedure. Announced and unannounced re-inspections There will be cases where re-inspections will be carried out during the term of a licence. Whether a reinspection needs to be announced or unannounced depends on the reason. An inspector can make unannounced re-inspections when it’s needed to make sure compliance is checked properly. For example, if there’s a complaint or information that an animal’s welfare is at risk. There are additional reinspection requirements for hiring out horses and dog breeding.