Collections Licences
What is a Street Collection or House-to-House Collection
Licence?
To carry out a street collection or collect items for sale, or
to conduct a house-to-house collection in the Maidstone Borough,
you need to apply for a licence from Maidstone Borough Council. You
must be a fit and proper person to carry out such a collection, and
you must be over 18 years of age.
Legal Regulations
Summaries of the legal regulations relating to street
collections and to house-to-house
collections are available.
How do I apply for a licence to make a collection?
You must apply at least a month in advance.
To start your application, you should telephone the
Licensing Team on 01622 602000 to book a day to hold your
collection. This is because a policy exists (for reasons
of Overriding Public Interest and the abatement of public nuisance)
to restrict the frequency of collections in Maidstone Town Centre.
This policy does not apply to the rest of the Borough, but you
should telephone us in the first instance.
Once you have established an available day, we will post you an
application form, or you can apply online.
What else do I need to include with my application?
There are slightly different procedures for charities which have
had collections in the Maidstone Borough before, and charities
which are new to the area.
If you are collecting for a charity which is new to the
area, we will need:
- A letter from that charity authorising you to collect on their
behalf
- Literature about the charity, so that we can research them
- An application form
If you are collecting for a known charity which has
previously had collections in the Maidstone
Borough, it is still advisable to include an authorisation letter
from the charity with your application.
Please post your completed application to: The Licensing Team,
Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ.
Alternatively:
How much does it cost?
It is free to apply, and it will take 2 working days to process
your application. You must also submit a return for the amount
collected (see below).
What happens next?
After we receive your application, presuming all the necessary
information is complete, we will issue you with a permit and a
return form (see below).
If you do not hear back from us after two working days (allowing
for postage time), you can consider your permit granted. However,
it is advisable for you to contact us in case your application has
gone astray. Also, we need to issue you with a copy of your permit
before you can collect.
You must carry your permit with you when you
make your collection, because it must be available to view at
request.
What happens after I have made my collection?
After you have made your collection, you must submit a
return stating how much money you have raised. This is
legally mandatory, and costs nothing to do.
You can either:
- Fill in the form we sent you with your permit and return it to
us, or;
- submit your return for a
street collection online, or;
- submit your return for a
house-to-house collection online.
What happens if my application fails or I have a
complaint?
In all circumstances, please contact us in the first instance if
there is a problem with your licence or your application fails,
using the details to the right of this page.
For House To House Collection issues, you may also appeal to the
Minister for the Cabinet Office. The appeal must be made within 14
days of our decision to refuse your application.
Maidstone Borough Council operates a complaints procedure. If
you are unhappy with the service you have received, view the complaints procedure or
make a complaint.
What if I want to complain about a licence-holder?
If you have a complaint either as a licence-holder or as a
member of the public about the behaviour of a street or
house-to-house collector, please contact us immediately using the
details to the right hand side of this page.