Housing Act 1985

300 Purchase of houses liable to be demolished or closed.

(1) Where the local housing authority would be required under section 265 to make a demolition or closing order in respect of a house, they may, if it appears to them that the house is or can be rendered capable of providing accommodation of a standard which is adequate for the time being, purchase it instead.

(2) Where an authority have determined to purchase a house under this section—

(a) they shall serve a notice of their determination on the persons on whom they would have been required by section 268(1) to serve a copy of a demolition or closing order, and

(b) sections 268(2) and 269 (operative date and right of appeal) apply to such a notice as they apply to a demolition or closing order.

(3) At any time after the notice has become operative the authority may purchase the house by agreement or be authorised by the Secretary of State to purchase it compulsorily.

(4) In this section “house”—

(a) does not have the extended meaning given by section 264(7) (temporary or movable structures), and

(b) does not include premises against which action is taken by virtue of section 266 (parts of buildings and underground rooms).

(5) This section does not apply where section 304(1) applies (listed building or building protected pending listing).