HMRA4030 – Refusal/cancellation: Reasons for refusal or cancellation of a warehouse approval?

Reasons for refusing a warehouse premises approval include:

• applicant provides false information with the clear intention to deceive;
• there are significant health & safety or security risks with the premises, or applicants with two or more employees failed to provide a satisfactory documented premises health & safety risk assessment;
• applicant can’t demonstrate a genuine business need for the warehouse;
• the general storage and distribution warehouse will not or does not meet the throughput or stockholding criteria; for example, the premises are to small to justify claimed throughput;
• premises do not meet a particular trade need or are unsuitable for intended operations;
• trader is unable to provide a financial security for the premises or deferment approval;
• the operation is not commercially viable given its lifespan to date and business plan (many businesses will expect to operate at a loss initially but you should expect this to be taken into consideration within their overall business plan. N.B. Operational Accountants are available to support officers when considering the viability of a trader);
• the proposed occupier of the warehouse, or other key persons involved in the management of the premises represent an unacceptable risk to the revenue as a result of a lack of suitability, probity or previous/current compliance issues associated with them;
• the systems in place to receive, store and release goods do not meet our requirements; and
• cancellation would be justified where significant losses/discrepancies are identified within the warehouse; this not only puts the warehouse approval into question but also the warehousekeeper’s registration.

(This list is not exhaustive)