176Refusal to issue or renew a licence

176 Refusal to issue or renew a licence

(1) If the Authority proposes to refuse to issue or renew a licence, it must give the applicant written notice and include in the notice—

(a) the reasons why it proposes to refuse to issue or renew the licence; and

(b) an invitation to the applicant to make a submission to the Authority, within a specified period of not less than 14 days (submission period), in relation to the proposed refusal.

(2) After the end of the submission period, the Authority must—

(a) consider any submission made by, or on behalf of, the applicant; and

(b) decide whether it will issue or renew, or refuse to issue or renew, the licence.

Section 21(7) of the Act requires that, if the Authority decides to refuse to issue a licence, the Authority must send by post to the applicant written notice of the refusal setting out the reasons for the refusal.