Can I sell from my own property?

[Vic.]

Can I sell food (smoked) from my own own property?

[Chris__M]

Indeed. Funny how TV programs with celebs like Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall make it look so easy to come up with all manner of traditional home made foods, and simply trot them down to the farmer's market to sell.

They never go into the detail of what regulations and permissions are involved!

[Vic.]

It's coming up to parade season here and I was thinking of making a few bucks as there's plenty of people pass my house. Wonder if I set out a 'gift'' box and say the food is free, would that be breaking any laws?

[Chris__M]

Aside from the food aspects of things that Al has already covered.

Running a business from home, particularly if it involves callers or sales from home, could affect your home insurance, your mortgage company may have a say in it, and you may find yourself being assessed for business rates on part of your property.

Getting back to food, this may be of some help: Your first steps at running a catering business.

I realise this is much more than Vic is intending, but I thought it might be of interest to folk.

[clairbare]

If you provided a delivery service from your home, it may be a different matter. You would probably need liability insurance, your local council will want to inspect your property to certify it fit for purpose etc. Worth searching online for more information, or your local council, sure there will be help out there

[Chris__M]

One requirement that most domestic kitchens don't have is a separate sink dedicated to hand washing (and not food preparation or washing up). I believe this is pretty much a standard requirement for any commercial food preparation area (including running a foodie business from home), although having a downstairs bathroom in close proximity to the kitchen (but not directly off of it - another no-no) may satisfy that.

[LM600]

Not sure if it helps, but when I've been to Twickenham, pretty much all the houses on the street leading to the stadium are selling some kind of produce from their frt gardens....OK, I guess, some rent their space out but not all surely?

[All Weather Griller]

I just got five scores on the door from home. Needed for charity events where I want to prep at home. Thus far I have prepped in pre-approved kitchens i.e pubs / rugby clubs etc.

I can now prep from my home kitchen and BBQ trailer. The only thing I would need now is insurance, to date we have been covered by the event organisers as kitchen hands to facilities already in place.

I did a food hygiene course a few months back it helps with the council to have that before they come.

All my cookers have been inspected and they have been approved. I have been told the "off the shelf" cookers (where a replacement is like for like) e.g the wsm's could be replaced with out a re-inspection. A replacement Jambo or clone would need to be re-inspected.

It was an interesting process and a lot of efforts for charity but it does mean if I get insured I can cater events if I so wished.

Definitely worth a call to your local env health team.

All this said, my experiences have been a little different to a mate of mine in a different local authority, so I think it varies.

Cheers

Adie

[clairbare]

As a childminder I have to be a registered food provider with the local environmental health council, I doubt it means I can provide bbq food to others from my home (ie selling it) but the experience was not too bad to become registered. They did mention if I were to prepare food, without a double sink, I would have to wash my hands in my downstairs cloakroom. Until I pointed out that with raw meat on my hands I would contaminate all the door handles on route they then realised that no home will accommodate their needs and it was agreed that their "suggestion" was a little over the top, plus I use blue gloves while handling meat anyway.

[esselle]

When we had the council round to inspect our home for this purpose the only problem was that our kitchen was deemed to be too small for the purpose so we have now registered the business and operate from a commercial kitchen of a friend (and our meat sponsor).