Housing Act 1964

29 Recovery of expenses incurred by local authority in England and Wales on default under improvement notice

(1) Any expenses reasonably incurred by the local authority under the last foregoing section in carrying out works (not being works to which that section applied as being works as respects which an undertaking was accepted under this Part of this Act) may, except so far as they are by any direction of the court on appeal recoverable under an order of the court, be recovered by them by action from the person on whom the improvement notice was served:

Provided that if the person served with an improvement notice proves that he—

(a) was only properly served with the notice as being an agent or trustee for some other person, and

(b) does not have, and since the date of the service on him of the demand has not had, in his hands on behalf of that other person sufficient money to discharge the whole demand of the authority,

his liability shall be limited to the total amount of the money which he has, or has had, in his hands as aforesaid.

(2) If the person served with an improvement notice was only properly served as being an agent or trustee for some other person, the said expenses may be recovered by the local authority under subsection (1) of this section either from him or from that other person, or as to part from him and as to the remainder from that other person.

(3) Expenses recoverable by the local authority under subsection (1) of this section shall carry interest at the rate, or the highest rate, for the time being fixed under section 10(6) of the Act of 1957.

A demand for the expenses so recoverable, together with interest so payable, shall be served on the person on whom the improvement notice was served, and interest shall be payable from the date when the demand is so served until payment.

(4) The amount of any expenses and interest thereon due to a local authority under this section shall, as from the date when the demand under subsection (3) of this section becomes operative, be a charge on the. premises in respect of which the expenses were incurred, and on all estates and interests in those premises, and the local authority shall for the purpose of enforcing that charge have all the same powers and remedies under the Law of Property Act 1925 and otherwise as if they were mortgagees by deed having powers of sale and lease, of accepting surrenders of leases and of appointing a receiver.

The power of appointing a receiver under this subsection shall be exercisable at any time after the expiration of one month from the date when the said demand becomes operative.

(5) On the date on which a local authority under subsection (3) of this section serve a demand for expenses incurred by them, they shall also serve a copy of the demand on any person who is to their knowledge an owner or lessee or mortgagee of the dwelling or other premises to which the improvement notice relates; and within twenty-one days from that date any person may appeal to the county court against the demand.

On the appeal no question may be raised which might have been raised on an appeal against the improvement notice (or, in the case of a final improvement notice, against the relevant suspended improvement notice).

(6) Any such demand shall, if no appeal is brought under the last foregoing subsection, become operative on the expiration of twenty-one days from the date of service of the demand ; and any such demand as respects which an appeal is so brought shall, if and so far as it is confirmed on appeal, become operative on the final determination of the appeal.

For the purposes of this subsection the withdrawal of an appeal shall be deemed to be a final determination thereof having the like effect as a decision confirming the demand appealed against.

(7) Any such demand shall, subject to the right of appeal conferred by subsection (5) of this section, be final and conclusive as to any matters which can be raised on such an appeal.

(8) This section shall not apply to Scotland.