(1)An HMO licence—
(a)has effect from, and
(b)expires 3 years (or such shorter period of not less than 6 months as may be specified in the licence) after,
the latest of the dates set out in subsection (2).
(2)Those dates are—
(a)the date on which notice of the decision to grant it is served on the licence holder under section 158,
(b)where the local authority was required to consider a valid written representation, or decided to consider a late written representation, about the application for the HMO licence—
(i)the last date on which the decision to grant the HMO licence may be appealed to the sheriff by the respondent, or
(ii)where such an appeal is made, the date on which it is abandoned or finally determined other than by quashing the decision to grant the licence, and
(c)any later date as may be specified in the HMO licence.
(3)Subsection (1) does not apply to an HMO licence granted in pursuance of paragraph 9(6) of schedule 4.
(4)An HMO licence which is so granted—
(a)has effect from, and
(b)expires one year after,
the date by which the local authority was required by sub-paragraph (1) of that paragraph to determine the application for that licence.
(5)Sections 135 to 137 set out circumstances in which an HMO licence is to continue to have effect until a later date or, as the case may be, to expire early.