| Housing Act 2004 | ||
| 2004 Chapter 34 - continued | ||
| back to previous text | ||
![]() | ||
| PART 7 | ||
| SUPPLEMENTARY AND FINAL PROVISIONS | ||
Residential property tribunals | ||
| 229 | Residential property tribunals | |
| (1) Any jurisdiction conferred on a residential property tribunal by or under any enactment is exercisable by a rent assessment committee constituted in accordance with Schedule 10 to the Rent Act 1977 (c. 42). | ||
| (2) When so constituted for exercising any such jurisdiction a rent assessment committee is known as a residential property tribunal. | ||
| (3) The appropriate national authority may by order make provision for and in connection with conferring on residential property tribunals, in relation to such matters as are specified in the order, such jurisdiction as is so specified. | ||
| (4) An order under subsection (3) may modify an enactment (including this Act). | ||
| (5) In this section "enactment" includes an enactment comprised in subordinate legislation (within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30)). | ||
| 230 | Powers and procedure of residential property tribunals | |
| (1) A residential property tribunal exercising any jurisdiction by virtue of any enactment has, in addition to any specific powers exercisable by it in exercising that jurisdiction, the general power mentioned in subsection (2). | ||
| (2) The tribunal's general power is a power by order to give such directions as the tribunal considers necessary or desirable for securing the just, expeditious and economical disposal of the proceedings or any issue raised in or in connection with them. | ||
| (3) In deciding whether to give directions under its general power a tribunal must have regard to- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) A tribunal may give directions under its general power whether or not they were originally sought by a party to the proceedings. | ||
| (5) When exercising jurisdiction under this Act, the directions which may be given by a tribunal under its general power include (where appropriate)- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (6) Nothing in any enactment conferring specific powers on a residential property tribunal is to be regarded as affecting the operation of the preceding provisions of this section. | ||
| (7) Schedule 13 (residential property tribunals: procedure) has effect. | ||
| (8) Section 229(5) applies also for the purposes of this section and Schedule 13. | ||
| 231 | Appeals from residential property tribunals | |
| (1) A party to proceedings before a residential property tribunal may appeal to the Lands Tribunal from a decision of the residential property tribunal. | ||
| (2) But the appeal may only be made- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) On the appeal- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) Section 11(1) of the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1992 (c. 53) (appeals from certain tribunals to High Court) does not apply to any decision of a residential property tribunal. | ||
| (5) For the purposes of section 3(4) of the Lands Tribunal Act 1949 (which enables a person aggrieved by a decision of the Lands Tribunal to appeal to the Court of Appeal) a residential property tribunal is not to be regarded as an aggrieved person. | ||
Register of licences and management orders | ||
| 232 | Register of licences and management orders | |
| (1) Every local housing authority must establish and maintain a register of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) The register may, subject to any requirements that may be prescribed, be in such form as the authority consider appropriate. | ||
| (3) Each entry in the register is to contain such particulars as may be prescribed. | ||
| (4) The authority must ensure that the contents of the register are available at the authority's head office for inspection by members of the public at all reasonable times. | ||
| (5) If requested by a person to do so and subject to payment of such reasonable fee (if any) as the authority may determine, a local housing authority must supply the person with a copy (certified to be true) of the register or of an extract from it. | ||
| (6) A copy so certified is prima facie evidence of the matters mentioned in it. | ||
| (7) In this section "prescribed" means prescribed by regulations made by the appropriate national authority. | ||
Codes of practice and management regulations relating to HMOs etc. | ||
| 233 | Approval of codes of practice with regard to the management of HMOs etc. | |
| (1) The appropriate national authority may by order- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) Before approving a code of practice or a modification of a code of practice under this section the appropriate national authority must take reasonable steps to consult- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) The appropriate national authority may only approve a code of practice or a modification of a code if satisfied that- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) The appropriate national authority may approve a code of practice which makes different provision in relation to different cases or descriptions of case (including different provision for different areas). | ||
| (5) A failure to comply with a code of practice for the time being approved under this section does not of itself make a person liable to any civil or criminal proceedings. | ||
| (6) In this section "excepted accommodation" means such description of living accommodation falling within any provision of Schedule 14 (buildings which are not HMOs for purposes of provisions other than Part 1) as is specified in an order under subsection (1). | ||
| 234 | Management regulations in respect of HMOs | |
| (1) The appropriate national authority may by regulations make provision for the purpose of ensuring that, in respect of every house in multiple occupation of a description specified in the regulations- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) The regulations may, in particular- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) A person commits an offence if he fails to comply with a regulation under this section. | ||
| (4) In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (3) it is a defence that he had a reasonable excuse for not complying with the regulation. | ||
| (5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (3) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. | ||
Information provisions | ||
| 235 | Power to require documents to be produced | |
| (1) A person authorised in writing by a local housing authority may exercise the power conferred by subsection (2) in relation to documents reasonably required by the authority- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) A person so authorised may give a notice to a relevant person requiring him- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) The notice must include information about the possible consequences of not complying with the notice. | ||
| (4) The person to whom any document is produced in accordance with the notice may copy the document. | ||
| (5) No person may be required under this section to produce any document which he would be entitled to refuse to provide in proceedings in the High Court on grounds of legal professional privilege. | ||
| (6) In this section "document" includes information recorded otherwise than in legible form, and in relation to information so recorded, any reference to the production of a document is a reference to the production of a copy of the information in legible form. | ||
| (7) In this section "relevant person" means, in relation to any premises, a person within any of the following paragraphs- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| 236 | Enforcement of powers to obtain information | |
| (1) A person commits an offence if he fails to do anything required of him by a notice under section 235. | ||
| (2) In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (1) it is a defence that he had a reasonable excuse for failing to comply with the notice. | ||
| (3) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. | ||
| (4) A person commits an offence if he intentionally alters, suppresses or destroys any document which he has been required to produce by a notice under section 235. | ||
| (5) A person who commits an offence under subsection (4) is liable- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (6) In this section "document" includes information recorded otherwise than in legible form, and in relation to information so recorded- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 237 | Use of information obtained for certain other statutory purposes | |
| (1) A local housing authority may use any information to which this section applies- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) This section applies to any information which has been obtained by the authority in the exercise of functions under- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 238 | False or misleading information | |
| (1) A person commits an offence if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) A person commits an offence if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or (2) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. | ||
| (4) In this section "false or misleading" means false or misleading in any material respect. | ||
Enforcement | ||
| 239 | Powers of entry | |
| (1) Subsection (3) applies where the local housing authority consider that a survey or examination of any premises is necessary and any of the following conditions is met - | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) Subsection (3) also applies where the proper officer of the local housing authority considers that a survey or examination of any premises is necessary in order to carry out an inspection under section 4(2). | ||
| (3) Where this subsection applies- | ||
| ||
| ||
| may enter the premises in question at any reasonable time for the purpose of carrying out a survey or examination of the premises. | ||
| (4) If- | ||
| ||
| ||
| the power of entry conferred by subsection (3) is exercisable in relation to any premises comprised in that other part so far as is necessary for the purpose of carrying out a survey or examination of the relevant premises. | ||
| (5) Before entering any premises in exercise of the power conferred by subsection (3), the authorised person or proper officer must have given at least 24 hours' notice of his intention to do so- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (6) Subsection (7) applies where the local housing authority consider that any premises need to be entered for the purpose of ascertaining whether an offence has been committed under section 72, 95 or 234(3). | ||
| (7) A person authorised by the local housing authority may enter the premises for that purpose- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (8) A person exercising the power of entry conferred by subsection (3) or (7) may do such of the following as he thinks necessary for the purpose for which the power is being exercised- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (9) An authorisation for the purposes of this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (10) A person authorised for the purposes of this section must, if required to do so, produce his authorisation for inspection by the owner or any occupier of the premises or anyone acting on his behalf. | ||
| (11) If the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, a person exercising the power of entry conferred by subsection (3) or (7) must leave the premises as effectively secured against trespassers as he found them. | ||
| (12) In this section "occupier", in relation to premises, means a person who occupies the premises, whether for residential or other purposes. | ||
| 240 | Warrant to authorise entry | |
| (1) This section applies where a justice of the peace is satisfied, on a sworn information in writing, that admission to premises specified in the information is reasonably required for any of the purposes mentioned in subsection (2) by a person- | ||
| ||
| ||
| the local housing authority. | ||
| (2) The purposes are- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) The justice may by warrant under his hand authorise the person mentioned in subsection (1) to enter on the premises for such of those purposes as may be specified in the warrant. | ||
| (4) But the justice must not grant the warrant unless he is satisfied- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) The power of entry conferred by a warrant under this section includes power to enter by force (if necessary). | ||
| (6) Subsection (8) of section 239 applies to the person on whom that power is conferred as it applies to a person exercising the power of entry conferred by subsection (3) or (7) of that section. | ||
| (7) A warrant under this section must, if so required, be produced for inspection by the owner or any occupier of the premises or anyone acting on his behalf. | ||
| (8) If the premises are unoccupied or the occupier is temporarily absent, a person entering under the authority of a warrant under this section must leave the premises as effectively secured against trespassers as he found them. | ||
| (9) A warrant under this section continues in force until the purpose for which the entry is required is satisfied. | ||
| (10) In a case within section 239(4)(a) and (b), the powers conferred by this section are exercisable in relation to premises comprised in the excluded part of the house as well as in relation to the relevant premises. | ||
| (11) In this section "occupier", in relation to premises, means a person who occupies the premises, whether for residential or other purposes. | ||
| 241 | Penalty for obstruction | |
| (1) A person who obstructs a relevant person in the performance of anything which, by virtue of any of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part, that person is required or authorised to do commits an offence. | ||
| (2) In proceedings against a person for an offence under subsection (1) it is a defence that he had a reasonable excuse for obstructing the relevant person. | ||
| (3) A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale. | ||
| (4) In this section "relevant person" means an officer of a local housing authority or any person authorised to enter premises by virtue of any of Parts 1 to 4 or section 239 or 240. | ||
| 242 | Additional notice requirements for protection of owners | |
| (1) This section applies where an owner of premises gives a notice to the local housing authority for the purposes of this section informing them of his interest in the premises. | ||
| (2) The authority must give him notice of any action taken by them under any of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part in relation to the premises. | ||
Authorisations | ||
| 243 | Authorisations for enforcement purposes etc. | |
| (1) This section applies to any authorisation given for the purposes of any of the following provisions- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) Any such authorisation must be given by the appropriate officer of the local housing authority. | ||
| (3) For the purposes of this section a person is an "appropriate officer" of a local housing authority, in relation to an authorisation given by the authority, if either- | ||
| ||
| ||
| or he is an officer of the authority to whom such a deputy chief officer reports directly, or is directly accountable, as respects duties so relating. | ||
Documents | ||
| 244 | Power to prescribe forms | |
| (1) The appropriate national authority may by regulations prescribe the form of any notice, statement or other document which is required or authorised to be used under, or for the purposes of, this Act. | ||
| (2) The power conferred by this section is not exercisable where specific provision for prescribing the form of a document is made elsewhere in this Act. | ||
| 245 | Power to dispense with notices | |
| (1) The appropriate national authority may dispense with the service of a notice which is required to be served by a local housing authority under this Act if satisfied that it is reasonable to do so. | ||
| (2) A dispensation may be given either before or after the time at which the notice is required to be served. | ||
| (3) A dispensation may be given either unconditionally or on such conditions (whether as to the service of other notices or otherwise) as the appropriate national authority considers appropriate. | ||
| (4) Before giving a dispensation under this section, the appropriate national authority shall, in particular, have regard to the need to ensure, so far as possible, that the interests of any person are not prejudiced by the dispensation. | ||
| 246 | Service of documents | |
| (1) Subsection (2) applies where the local housing authority is, by virtue of any provision of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part, under a duty to serve a document on a person who, to the knowledge of the authority, is- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| or a person who (but for an interim or final management order under Chapter 1 of Part 4) would fall within paragraph (a) or (b). | ||
| (2) The local housing authority must take reasonable steps to identify the person or persons falling within the description in that provision. | ||
| (3) A person having an estate or interest in premises may for the purposes of any provision to which subsections (1) and (2) apply give notice to the local housing authority of his interest in the premises. | ||
| (4) The local housing authority must enter a notice under subsection (3) in its records. | ||
| (5) A document required or authorised by any of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part to be served on a person as- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| may, if it is not practicable after reasonable enquiry to ascertain the name or address of that person, be served in accordance with subsection (6). | ||
| (6) A person having such a connection with any premises as is mentioned in subsection (5)(a) to (d) is served in accordance with this subsection if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (7) Subsection (1)(c) or (5)(c) applies whether the provision requiring or authorising service of the document refers in terms to a person having an estate or interest in premises or instead refers to a class of person having such an estate or interest (such as owners, lessees or mortgagees). | ||
| (8) Where under any provision of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part a document is to be served on- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| and more than one person comes within the description in the provision, the document may be served on more than one of those persons. | ||
| (9) Section 233 of the Local Government Act 1972 (c. 70) (service of notices by local authorities) applies in relation to the service of documents for any purposes of this Act by the authorities mentioned in section 261(2)(d) and (e) of this Act as if they were local authorities within the meaning of section 233. | ||
| (10) In this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (11) In this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 247 | Licences and other documents in electronic form | |
| (1) A local housing authority may, subject to subsection (3), issue a licence to a person under Part 2 or 3 by transmitting the text of the licence to him by electronic means, provided the text- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) A local housing authority may, subject to subsection (3), serve a relevant document on a person by transmitting the text of the document to him in the way mentioned in subsection (1). | ||
| (3) The recipient, or the person on whose behalf the recipient receives the document, must have indicated to the local housing authority the recipient's willingness to receive documents transmitted in the form and manner used. | ||
| (4) An indication for the purposes of subsection (3)- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) In this section any reference to serving includes a reference to similar expressions (such as giving or sending). | ||
| (6) In this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 248 | Timing and location of things done electronically | |
| (1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision specifying, for the purposes of any of Parts 1 to 4 or this Part, the manner of determining- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the manner of proving in any legal proceedings- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) Regulations under this section may provide for such presumptions to apply (whether conclusive or not) as the Secretary of State considers appropriate. | ||
| (4) In this section "electronic communications network" has the meaning given by section 32 of the Communications Act 2003 (c.21). | ||
| 249 | Proof of designations | |
| (1) This subsection applies in respect of a copy of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| which purports to be made by a local housing authority. | ||
| (2) A certificate endorsed on such a copy and purporting to be signed by the proper officer of the authority stating the matters set out in subsection (3) is prima facie evidence of the facts so stated without proof of the handwriting or official position of the person by whom it purports to be signed. | ||
| (3) Those matters are- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
Other supplementary provisions | ||
| 250 | Orders and regulations | |
| (1) Any power of the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales to make an order or regulations under this Act is exercisable by statutory instrument. | ||
| (2) Any power of the Secretary of State or the National Assembly for Wales to make an order or regulations under this Act- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) The Secretary of State must consult the National Assembly for Wales before making any regulations under Part 5 which relate to residential properties in Wales. | ||
| (4) Subject to subsections (5) and (6), any order or regulations made by the Secretary of State under this Act are to be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament. | ||
| (5) Subsection (4) does not apply to any order under section 270 or paragraph 3 of Schedule 10. | ||
| (6) Subsection (4) also does not apply to- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| and no such order or regulations may be made by the Secretary of State (whether alone or with other provisions) unless a draft of the statutory instrument containing the order or regulations has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament. | ||
| (7) In this Act "modify", in the context of a power to modify an enactment by order or regulations, includes repeal (and "modifications" has a corresponding meaning). | ||
| 251 | Offences by bodies corporate | |
| (1) Where an offence under this Act committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| he as well as the body corporate commits the offence and is liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly. | ||
| (2) Where the affairs of a body corporate are managed by its members, subsection (1) applies in relation to the acts and defaults of a member in connection with his functions of management as if he were a director of the body corporate. | ||
| 252 | Power to up-rate level of fines for certain offences | |
| (1) Subsection (2) applies if the Secretary of State considers that there has been a change in the value of money since the relevant date. | ||
| (2) The Secretary of State may by order substitute for the sum or sums for the time being specified in any provision mentioned in subsection (3) such other sum or sums as he considers to be justified by the change. | ||
| (3) The provisions are- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) In subsection (1) "the relevant date" means- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) Nothing in an order under subsection (2) affects the punishment for an offence committed before the order comes into force. | ||
| 253 | Local inquiries | |
| The appropriate national authority may, for the purposes of the execution of any of the authority's functions under this Act, cause such local inquiries to be held as the authority considers appropriate. | ||
Meaning of "house in multiple occupation" | ||
| 254 | Meaning of "house in multiple occupation" | |
| (1) For the purposes of this Act a building or a part of a building is a "house in multiple occupation" if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) A building or a part of a building meets the standard test if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) A part of a building meets the self-contained flat test if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) A building or a part of a building meets the converted building test if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) But for any purposes of this Act (other than those of Part 1) a building or part of a building within subsection (1) is not a house in multiple occupation if it is listed in Schedule 14. | ||
| (6) The appropriate national authority may by regulations- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (7) Regulations under subsection (6) may frame any description by reference to any matters or circumstances whatever. | ||
| (8) In this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| 255 | HMO declarations | |
| (1) If a local housing authority are satisfied that subsection (2) applies to a building or part of a building in their area, they may serve a notice under this section (an "HMO declaration") declaring the building or part to be a house in multiple occupation. | ||
| (2) This subsection applies to a building or part of a building if the building or part meets any of the following tests (as it applies without the sole use condition)- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| and the occupation, by persons who do not form a single household, of the living accommodation or flat referred to in the test in question constitutes a significant use of that accommodation or flat. | ||
| (3) In subsection (2) "the sole use condition" means the condition contained in- | ||
| ||
| ||
| as the case may be. | ||
| (4) The notice must- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) The day stated in the notice under subsection (4)(c) must be not less than 28 days after the date of the authority's decision to serve the notice. | ||
| (6) If no appeal is made under subsection (9) before the end of that period of 28 days, the notice comes into force on the day stated in the notice. | ||
| (7) If such an appeal is made before the end of that period of 28 days, the notice does not come into force unless and until a decision is given on the appeal which confirms the notice and either- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (8) For the purposes of subsection (7), the withdrawal of an appeal has the same effect as a decision which confirms the notice appealed against. | ||
| (9) Any relevant person may appeal to a residential property tribunal against a decision of the local housing authority to serve an HMO declaration. | ||
| The appeal must be made within the period of 28 days beginning with the date of the authority's decision. | ||
(10) Such an appeal- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (11) The tribunal may- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (12) In this section and section 256 "relevant person", in relation to an HMO declaration, means any person who, to the knowledge of the local housing authority, is- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 256 | Revocation of HMO declarations | |
| (1) A local housing authority may revoke an HMO declaration served under section 255 at any time if they consider that subsection (2) of that section no longer applies to the building or part of the building in respect of which the declaration was served. | ||
| (2) The power to revoke an HMO declaration is exercisable by the authority either- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) If, on an application by such a person, the authority decide not to revoke the HMO declaration, they must without delay serve on him a notice informing him of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) A person who applies to a local housing authority for the revocation of an HMO declaration under subsection (1) may appeal to a residential property tribunal against a decision of the authority to refuse to revoke the notice. | ||
| The appeal must be made within the period of 28 days beginning with the date specified under subsection (3) as the date on which the decision was made. | ||
(5) Such an appeal- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (6) The tribunal may- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 257 | HMOs: certain converted blocks of flats | |
| (1) For the purposes of this section a "converted block of flats" means a building or part of a building which- | ||
| ||
| ||
| self-contained flats. | ||
| (2) This section applies to a converted block of flats if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) In subsection (2) "appropriate building standards" means- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) For the purposes of subsection (2) a flat is "owner-occupied" if it is occupied- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) The fact that this section applies to a converted block of flats (with the result that it is a house in multiple occupation under section 254(1)(e)), does not affect the status of any flat in the block as a house in multiple occupation. | ||
| (6) In this section "self-contained flat" has the same meaning as in section 254. | ||
| 258 | HMOs: persons not forming a single household | |
| (1) This section sets out when persons are to be regarded as not forming a single household for the purposes of section 254. | ||
| (2) Persons are to be regarded as not forming a single household unless- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) For the purposes of subsection (2)(a) a person is a member of the same family as another person if- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) For those purposes- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) Regulations under subsection (2)(b) may, in particular, secure that a group of persons are to be regarded as forming a single household only where (as the regulations may require) each member of the group has a prescribed relationship, or at least one of a number of prescribed relationships, to any one or more of the others. | ||
| (6) In subsection (5) "prescribed relationship" means any relationship of a description specified in the regulations. | ||
| 259 | HMOs: persons treated as occupying premises as only or main residence | |
| (1) This section sets out when persons are to be treated for the purposes of section 254 as occupying a building or part of a building as their only or main residence. | ||
| (2) A person is to be treated as so occupying a building or part of a building if it is occupied by the person- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) In subsection (2)(b) "refuge" means a building or part of a building managed by a voluntary organisation and used wholly or mainly for the temporary accommodation of persons who have left their homes as a result of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| from persons to whom they are or were married or with whom they are or were co-habiting. | ||
| 260 | HMOs: presumption that sole use condition or significant use condition is met | |
| (1) Where a question arises in any proceedings as to whether either of the following is met in respect of a building or part of a building- | ||
| ||
| ||
| it shall be presumed, for the purposes of the proceedings, that the condition is met unless the contrary is shown. | ||
| (2) In this section- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
Other general interpretation provisions | ||
| 261 | Meaning of "appropriate national authority", "local housing authority" etc. | |
| (1) In this Act "the appropriate national authority" means- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) In this Act "local housing authority" means, in relation to England- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) In subsection (2) "unitary authority" means- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) In this Act "local housing authority" means, in relation to Wales, a county council or a county borough council. | ||
| (5) References in this Act to "the local housing authority", in relation to land, are to the local housing authority in whose district the land is situated. | ||
| (6) References in this Act to the district of a local housing authority are to the area of the council concerned, that is to say- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (7) Section 618 of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68) (committees and members of Common Council of City of London) applies in relation to this Act as it applies in relation to that Act. | ||
| 262 | Meaning of "lease", "tenancy", "occupier" and "owner" etc. | |
| (1) In this Act "lease" and "tenancy" have the same meaning. | ||
| (2) Both expressions include- | ||
| ||
| ||
| And see sections 108 and 117 and paragraphs 3 and 11 of Schedule 7 (which also extend the meaning of references to leases). | ||
(3) The expressions "lessor" and "lessee" and "landlord" and "tenant" and references to letting, to the grant of a lease or to covenants or terms, are to be construed accordingly. | ||
| (4) In this Act "lessee" includes a statutory tenant of the premises; and references to a lease or to a person to whom premises are let are to be construed accordingly. | ||
| (5) In this Act any reference to a person who is a tenant under a lease with an unexpired term of 3 years or less includes a statutory tenant as well as a tenant under a yearly or other periodic tenancy. | ||
| (6) In this Act "occupier", in relation to premises, means a person who- | ||
| ||
| ||
| and related expressions are to be construed accordingly. | ||
| This subsection does not apply for the purposes of Part 5 and has effect subject to any other provision defining "occupier" for any purposes of this Act. | ||
(7) In this Act "owner", in relation to premises- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (8) In this Act "person having an estate or interest", in relation to premises, includes a statutory tenant of the premises. | ||
| (9) In this Act "licence", in the context of a licence to occupy premises- | ||
| ||
| ||
| and related expressions are to be construed accordingly. | ||
| And see sections 108 and 117 and paragraphs 3 and 11 of Schedule 7 (which also extend the meaning of references to licences). | ||
| 263 | Meaning of "person having control" and "person managing" etc. | |
| (1) In this Act "person having control", in relation to premises, means (unless the context otherwise requires) the person who receives the rack-rent of the premises (whether on his own account or as agent or trustee of another person), or who would so receive it if the premises were let at a rack-rent. | ||
| (2) In subsection (1) "rack-rent" means a rent which is not less than two-thirds of the full net annual value of the premises. | ||
| (3) In this Act "person managing" means, in relation to premises, the person who, being an owner or lessee of the premises- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| and includes, where those rents or other payments are received through another person as agent or trustee, that other person. | ||
| (4) In its application to Part 1, subsection (3) has effect with the omission of paragraph (a)(ii). | ||
| (5) References in this Act to any person involved in the management of a house in multiple occupation or a house to which Part 3 applies (see section 79(2)) include references to the person managing it. | ||
| 264 | Calculation of numbers of persons | |
| (1) The appropriate national authority may prescribe rules with respect to the calculation of numbers of persons for the purposes of- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (2) The rules may provide- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) The rules may be prescribed by order or regulations. | ||
Final provisions | ||
| 265 | Minor and consequential amendments | |
| (1) Schedule 15 (which contains minor and consequential amendments) has effect. | ||
| (2) The Secretary of State may by order make such supplementary, incidental or consequential provision as he considers appropriate- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (3) An order under subsection (2) may modify any enactment (including this Act). | ||
| "Enactment" includes an enactment comprised in subordinate legislation (within the meaning of the Interpretation Act 1978 (c. 30)). | ||
| (4) The power conferred by subsection (2) is also exercisable by the National Assembly for Wales in relation to provision dealing with matters with respect to which functions are exercisable by the Assembly. | ||
| (5) Nothing in this Act affects the generality of the power conferred by this section. | ||
| 266 | Repeals | |
| Schedule 16 (which contains repeals) has effect. | ||
| 267 | Devolution: Wales | |
| In Schedule 1 to the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 (S.I. 1999/672) references to the following Acts are to be treated as references to those Acts as amended by virtue of this Act- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| 268 | The Isles of Scilly | |
| (1) This Secretary of State may by order provide that, in its application to the Isles of Scilly, this Act is have effect with such modifications as are specified in the order. | ||
| (2) Where a similar power is exercisable under another Act in relation to provisions of that Act which are amended by this Act, the power is exercisable in relation to those provisions as so amended. | ||
| 269 | Expenses | |
| There shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament- | ||
| ||
| ||
| 270 | Short title, commencement and extent | |
| (1) This Act may be cited as the Housing Act 2004. | ||
| (2) The following provisions come into force on the day on which this Act is passed- | ||
| ||
| ||
| Subsections (3) to (7) have effect subject to paragraph (b). | ||
(3) The following provisions come into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this Act is passed- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (4) The provisions listed in subsection (5) come into force- | ||
| ||
| ||
| (5) The provisions referred to in subsection (4) are- | ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| ||
| (6) Part 5 (other than sections 161 to 164 and 176) comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by order appoint. | ||
| (7) Section 228 and Schedule 12 come into force on such day as the National Assembly for Wales may by order appoint. | ||
| (8) Different days may be appointed for different purposes or different areas under subsection (4), (6) or (7). | ||
| (9) The Secretary of State may by order make such provision as he considers necessary or expedient for transitory, transitional or saving purposes in connection with the coming into force of any provision of this Act. | ||
| (10) The power conferred by subsection (9) is also exercisable by the National Assembly for Wales in relation to provision dealing with matters with respect to which functions are exercisable by the Assembly | ||
| (11) Subject to subsections (12) and (13), this Act extends to England and Wales only. | ||
(12) Any amendment or repeal made by this Act has the same extent as the enactment to which it relates, except that any amendment or repeal in-
the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c. 37),extends to England and Wales only. | ||
| (13) This section extends to the whole of the United Kingdom. | ||
| ||
| ||
| Other UK Acts | Home | Scotland Legislation | Wales Legislation | Northern Ireland Legislation | Her Majesty's Stationery Office | ||
| We welcome your comments on this site | © Crown copyright 2004 | Prepared 2 December 2004 |