Hi All

I am considering a major career change and have enrolled on a grooming course starting in September. My main aim is to set up a doggy-related business I can run from home.

I am also considering boarding dogs, on a very small scale, maybe 2-3 kennels.

Does anyone know of any legal requirements, planning permission, licenses, insurances etc that are required to do this.

Any advice gratefully received.

Thanks
Karen

I believe you would have to apply for change of Use of your property and I suppose your neighbours would be canvassed for objections.

Your Council Planning department should be your first port of call.

Ditto What Brainless has said.   You need to check with your local authority if there is likely they would permit you to do so AND you would need to check your title deeds to see if there are any restrictions from running a business from home , do all this before spending too much money. 

Having just gone through the process, I can say its quite a hurdle, not so much from the council, who in my case bent over backwards to help, and neighbours but more the way the government has slipped in yet more nanny state meddling.

For example, the use of sustainable transport has to form part of the decision to grant planning, major point that, since every one I know jumps on the bus to take their dogs to the groomers, NOT!

Good luck with your new venture.

Thanks for the replies, I guess a chat with Planning is a good start.

I've just ploughed through my title deeds and can't see any restrictions there, other than not building over drains and maintaining a fence, so guess that's good news.

Now, sustainable transport could be a major problem as I live in a village with little or no public transport, but my aim is to board/groom local dogs not animals 20 miles away! Don't you just love the government!!!

Keep any advice coming....

I think the planning dept may also want to know that there is room for parking.

My clicker trainer boards dogs in her home - rather than in outdoor kennels. She is licensed by the council for 3 boarding dogs in addition to the two she owns herself.

She does have a fairly large parking area on her property but this wasn't an issue with the council due to the number of dogs allowed. She has been doing this for a number of years now so would have been granted permission before all the new rules that another poster has mentioned.

.