Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994

7 After section 43A of that Act there shall be inserted the following sections—

“43B Supplementary provisions regarding rent registration service providers

(1) Where—

(a) rent registration arrangements are in force in relation to a registration area (“existing arrangements”); and

(b) the Secretary of State decides not to make further such arrangements in relation to that area in respect of the period following the expiry or termination of the existing arrangements,

then, notwithstanding section 43A(3) above, he may under section 43(3) above appoint rent officers for the area, such appointments taking effect on the expiry or, as the case may be, the termination of the existing arrangements.

(2) For the purposes of subsections (3) and (4) below, a change of responsibility takes place where—

(a) under rent registration arrangements in relation to a registration area, a rent registration service provider assumes responsibility for the performance of functions which, immediately prior to the coming into force of the arrangements, were performed by a rent officer for the area or by another rent registration service provider; or

(b) a rent officer is appointed for a registration area in relation to which, immediately prior to the coming into force of the appointment, rent registration arrangements were in force.

(3) Where a change of responsibility takes place the Secretary of State shall publish, in such manner as he considers appropriate, a notice specifying—

(a) the registration area concerned;

(b) the date when the change takes effect; and

(c) the name and official address of the person who is rent officer or, as the case may be, rent registration service provider after that date.

(4) Where a change of responsibility takes place—

(a) any decision taken, and anything else done or omitted to be done in the performance of the functions mentioned in section 43A(2) above by or in relation to the person previously responsible for the performance of those functions shall have effect as if taken or, as the case may be, done or omitted to be done by or in relation to the person currently so responsible; and

(b) any court proceedings by or against the person previously so responsible and relating to the performance by him of those functions shall continue by or against the person currently so responsible.

43C Rent registration service providers: restrictions on disclosure of information

(1) Schedule 15 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (restrictions on disclosure of information) shall, where contractor A within the meaning of that Schedule is a rent registration service provider, apply with the following modifications.

(2) Without prejudice to paragraph 10(1), references to an employee of contractor A and, where contractor B within the meaning of that Schedule is also a rent registration service provider, to an employee of contractor B shall be taken to include references to an agent, and the employee of an agent, of contractor A or, as the case may be, of contractor B.

(3) Subject to subsections (4) to (6) below, references to authority A shall be taken to be references to the rent officer for any registration area specified in the rent registration arrangements.

(4) In paragraph 2(a), the reference to authority A shall be taken to be a reference to such a rent officer or the Secretary of State.

(5) In paragraphs 3(2)(b), 4(2)(b), 5(b) and 8 and, in paragraph 10(1), in the definition of “ancillary services”, the reference to authority A shall be taken to be a reference to the Secretary of State.

(6) In the definition of “related function” in paragraph 10(1), the reference to a function of authority A which is certified by that authority shall be taken to be a reference to a function of a rent officer which is certified by the Secretary of State.”