Housing Act 2004

1. Introduction

2. Summary

3. Background

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   Overview

   1. Expressions and abbreviations used throughout these notes

      1. Part 1: Housing conditions

      2. Part 2: Licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)

      3. Part 3: Selective licensing of other residential accommodation

      4. Part 4: Additional control provisions in relation to residential accommodation

      5. Part 5 - Home information packs

      6. Part 6: Other provisions about housing

      7. Part 7: Supplementary and final provisions

5. Territorial Application

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   Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1 - Housing Conditions

      1. Chapter 1 - Enforcement of Housing Standards: General

         1. Section 1: New system for assessing housing conditions and enforcing housing standards

         2. Section 2: Meaning of "category 1 hazard" and "category 2 hazard"

         3. Section 3:Local housing authorities to review housing conditions in their districts

         4. Section 4: Inspections by local housing authorities to see whether category 1 or 2 hazards exist

         5. Section 5: Category 1 hazards: general duty to take enforcement action

         6. Section 6: Category 1 hazards: how duty under section 5 operates in certain cases

         7. Section 7: Category 2 hazards: power to take enforcement action

         8. Section 8: Reasons for decision to take enforcement action

         9. Section 9: Guidance about inspections and enforcement action

         10. Section10: Consultation with fire authorities in certain cases

      2. Chapter 2 – Improvement Notices, Prohibition Orders and Hazard Awareness Notices

         1. Section 11: Improvement notices relating to category 1 hazards: duty of authority to serve notice

         2. Section 12: Improvement notices relating to category 2 hazards: power of authority to serve notice.

         3. Section 13: Contents of improvement notices

         4. Section 14: Suspension of improvement notices

         5. Section 15: Operation of improvement notices

         6. Section 16: Revocation and variation of improvement notice

         7. Section 17: Review of suspended improvement notices

         8. Section 18: Service of improvement notices etc. and related appeals

         9. Section 19: Change in person liable to comply with improvement notice

         10. Section 20: Prohibition orders relating to category 1 hazards: duty of authority to make order

         11. Section 21: Prohibition orders relating to category 2 hazards: power of authority to make order

         12. Section 22: Contents of prohibition orders

         13. Section 23: Suspension of prohibition orders

         14. Section 24: Operation of prohibition orders

         15. Section 25: Revocation and variation of prohibition orders

         16. Section 26: Review of suspended prohibition orders

         17. Section 27: Service of copies of prohibition orders etc. and related appeals

         18. Section 28: Hazard awareness notices relating to category 1 hazards: duty of authority to serve notice

         19. Section 29: Hazard awareness notices relating to category 2 hazards: power of authority to serve notice

         20. Section 30: Offence of failing to comply with improvement notice

         21. Section 31: Enforcement action by local housing authorities

         22. Section 32: Offence of failing to comply with prohibition order etc.

         23. Section 33: Recovery of possession of premises in order to comply with order

         24. Section 34: Power of tribunal to determine or vary lease

         25. Section 35: Power of court to order occupier or owner to allow action to be taken on premises

         26. Section 36: Power of court to authorise action by one owner on behalf of another

         27. Section 37: Effect of improvement notices and prohibition orders as local land charges

         28. Section 38: Savings for rights arising from breach of covenant etc.

         29. Section 39: Effect of Part 4 enforcement action and redevelopment proposals

      3. Chapter 3 - Emergency Measures

         1. Section 40: Emergency remedial action

         2. Section 41: Notice of emergency remedial action

         3. Section 42: Recovery of expenses of taking emergency remedial action

         4. Section 43: Emergency prohibition orders

         5. Section 44:Contents of emergency prohibition orders

         6. Section 45: Appeals relating to emergency measures

      4. Chapter 4 - Demolition Orders and Slum Clearance Declarations

         1. Section 46: Demolition orders

         2. Section 47: Clearance areas

         3. Section 48: Transfer of jurisdiction in respect of appeals relating to demolition orders etc.

      5. Chapter 5 - General and Miscellaneous Provisions Relating to Enforcement Action

         1. Section 49: Power to charge for certain enforcement action

         2. Section 50: Recovery of charge under section 49

         3. Section 51: Repeal of power to improve existing enforcement procedures

         4. Section 52: Repeal of provisions relating to demolition of obstructive buildings

         5. Section 53: Miscellaneous repeals etc in relation to fire hazards

   2. Part 2 – Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation

      1. Section 55: Licensing of HMOs to which this Part applies

      2. Section 56: Designation of areas subject to additional licensing

      3. Section 57: Designations under section 56: further considerations

      4. Section 58: Designation needs confirmation or general approval to be effective

      5. Section 59: Notification requirements relating to designations

      6. Section 60: Duration, review and revocation of designations

      7. Section 61: Requirement for HMOs to be licensed

      8. Section 62: Temporary exemption from licensing requirement

      9. Section 63: Applications for licences

      10. Section 64: Grant or refusal of licence

      11. Section 65: Tests as to suitability for multiple occupation

      12. Section 66: Tests for fitness etc. and satisfactory management arrangements

      13. Section 67: Licence conditions

      14. Section 68: Licences: general requirements and duration

      15. Section 69: Variation of licences

      16. Section 70: Revocation of licences

      17. Section 72: Offences in relation to licensing of HMOs

      18. Section 73: Other Consequences of operating unlicensed HMOs: rent repayment orders

      19. Section 74: Further provisions about rent repayment orders

      20. Section 75: Other Consequences of operating unlicensed HMOs: restriction on terminating tenancies

      21. Section 76: Transitional arrangements relating to introduction and termination of licensing

      22. Section 77: Meaning of "HMO"

   3. Part 3 - Selective Licensing of Other Residential Accommodation

      1. Section 79: Licensing of houses to which this Part applies

      2. Section 80: Designation of selective licensing areas

      3. Section 81: Designations under section 80: further considerations

      4. Section 82: Designation needs confirmation or general approval to be effective

      5. Section 83: Notification requirements relating to designations

      6. Section 84: Duration, review and revocation of designations

      7. Section 85: Requirement for Part 3 houses to be licensed

      8. Section 86: Temporary exemption from licensing requirement

      9. Section 87: Applications for licences

      10. Section 88: Grant or refusal of licence

      11. Section 89: Tests for fitness etc. and satisfactory management arrangements

      12. Section 90: Licence conditions

      13. Section 91: Licences: general requirements and duration

      14. Section 92: Variation of licences

      15. Section 93: Revocation of licences

      16. Section 94: Procedural requirements and appeals against licence decisions

      17. Section 95: Offences in relation to licensing of houses under this Part

      18. Section 96: Other consequences of operating unlicensed Part 3 houses: rent repayment orders

      19. Section 97: Further provisions about rent repayment orders

      20. Section 98: Other Consequences of operating unlicensed Part 3 houses: restriction on terminating tenancies

      21. Section 99: Meaning of "house" etc

   4. Part 4 - Additional Control Provisions in Relation to Residential Accommodation

      1. Chapter 1: Interim and Final Management Orders

         1. Section 101: Interim and final management orders: introductory

         2. .

         3. Section 103: Special interim management orders

         4. Section 104: The health and safety condition

         5. Section 105: Operation of interim management orders

         6. Section 107: General effect of interim management orders

         7. Section 108: General Effect of interim management orders: leases and licences granted by the authority

         8. Section 109: General effect of interim management orders: immediate landlords, mortgagees etc

         9. Section 110: Financial arrangements while order is in force

         10. Section 111: Variation of interim management orders

         11. Section 112: Revocation of interim management orders

         12. Section 113: Making of final management orders

         13. Section 114: Operation of final management orders

         14. Section 115: Local housing authority's duties once final management order in force

         15. Section 116: General effect of final management orders

         16. Section 117: General effect of final management orders: leases and licences granted by the authority

         17. Section 118: General effect of final management orders: immediate landlords, mortgagees etc

         18. Section 119: Management scheme and accounts

         19. Section 120: Enforcement of management scheme by relevant landlord

         20. Section 121: Variation of final management orders

         21. Section 122: Revocation of final management orders

         22. Section 123: Procedural requirements and appeals

         23. Section 124: Effect of management orders: occupiers

         24. Section 125: Effect of management orders: agreements and legal proceedings

         25. Section 126: Effect of management orders: furniture

         26. Section 127: Management orders: powers to supply furniture

         27. Section 128: Compensation

         28. Section 129: Termination of management orders: financial arrangements

         29. Section 130: Termination of management order: leases, agreement and proceedings

         30. Section 131: Management orders: power of entry to carry out work

      2. Chapter 2: Interim and Final Empty Dwelling Management Orders

         1. Section 132: Empty dwelling management orders: introductory

         2. Section 133: Making of interim EDMOs

         3. Section 134: Authorisation to make interim EDMOs

         4. Section 135: Local authority's duties once interim EDMO in force

         5. Section 136: Making of final EDMOs

         6. Section 137: Local housing authority's duties once final EDMO in force

         7. Section 138: Compensation payable to third parties

      3. Chapter 3: Overcrowding Notices

         1. Section 139: Service of overcrowding notices

         2. Section 140: Contents of overcrowding notice

         3. Section 141: Requirements as to overcrowding generally

         4. Section 142: Requirement as to new residents

         5. Section 143: Appeals against overcrowding notices

         6. Section 144: Revocation and variation of overcrowding notices

      4. Chapter 4: Supplementary Provisions

         1. Section 145: Supplementary Provisions

         2. Section 146: Interpretation and Modification of this Part

   5. Part 5 - Home Information Packs

      1. Section 148: Meaning of "residential property" and "home information pack"

      2. Section 149: Meaning of "on the market" and related expressions

      3. Section 150: Acting as estate agent

      4. Section 151: Responsibility for marketing: general

      5. Section 152: Responsibility of person acting as estate agent

      6. Section 153: Responsibility of the seller

      7. Section 154: Application of Sections 155 to 158

      8. Section 155: Duty to have a home information pack

      9. Section 156: Duty to provide copy of home information pack on request

      10. Section 157: Imposition of conditions

      11. Section 158: Duty to ensure authenticity of documents in other situations

      12. Section 159: Other duties of person acting as estate agent

      13. Section 160: Residential properties not available with vacant possession

      14. Section 161: Power to provide for further exceptions

      15. Section 162: Suspension of duties under sections 155 to 159

      16. Section 164: Home condition reports

      17. Section 165: Register of home condition reports

      18. Section 166: Enforcement authorities

      19. Section 167: Power to require production of home information packs

      20. Section 168: Penalty charge notices

      21. Section 169: Offences relating to enforcement officers

      22. Section 170: Right of private action

      23. Section 171: Application of Part to sub-divided buildings

      24. Section 172: Power to require estate agents to belong to a redress scheme

      25. Section 173: Approval of redress schemes

      26. Section 174: Withdrawal of approval

      27. Section 175: Office of Fair Trading

      28. Section 176: Grants

      29. Sections 177: Interpretation of Part 5

      30. Sections 178: Index of defined expressions Part 5

   6. Part 6

      1. Section 179: Extending the Period Of Introductory Tenancies

      2. Section 180: Extension of qualifying period for right to buy

      3. Section 181: Exceptions to the right to buy: determination whether exception for dwelling-house suitable for elderly persons applies

      4. Section 182: Exceptions to the right to buy: houses due to be demolished

      5. Section 183: Right to buy: claim suspended or terminated by demolition notice

      6. Section 184: Landlord’s notice to complete

      7. Section 185: Repayment of discount: periods and amounts applicable

         1. Discretion to waive repayment of discount

         2. Section 155A

         3. Section 155B

      8. Section 186: Repayment of discount: increase attributable to home improvements to be disregarded

      9. Section 187: Deferred resale agreements

      10. Section 188: Right of first refusal for landlord etc.

      11. Section 189: Information to help tenants decide whether to exercise right to buy etc

      12. Section 190: Termination of rent to mortgage scheme

      13. Section 191: Secure Tenancies: Withholding Of Consent To Mutual Exchange

      14. Section 192: Right to Buy: suspension by court order

      15. Section 193: Right to buy: suspension of landlord’s obligation to complete

      16. Section 194: Disclosure of information as to orders etc. in respect of anti-social behaviour

      17. Sections 195-198: Disposals by local authorities

      18. Sections 199 -201: Disposals by Registered Social Landlords

      19. Section 202: Right of assured tenant to acquire dwelling not affected by collective enfranchisement

      20. Sections 203 –205: Disposals by housing action trusts

      21. Section 206: Particulars of site agreements to be given in advance

      22. Section 207: Implied terms relating to termination of agreements or disposal of mobile homes

      23. Section 208: Power to amend terms implied in site agreements

      24. Section 209: Protected sites to include sites for Gypsies

      25. Section 210: Extension of protection from harassment for occupiers of mobile homes

      26. Section 211: Suspension of eviction orders

      27. Section 212 : Tenancy deposit schemes

      28. Section 213: Requirements relating to tenancy deposits

      29. Section 214: Proceedings relating to tenancy deposits

      30. Section 215: Sanctions for non-compliance

      31. Section 216: Overcrowding

      32. Section 217: Energy efficiency of residential accommodation: England

      33. Section 218: Amendments relating to registered social landlords

      34. Section 219: Disclosure of information to registered social landlords for the purposes of section 1 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1988

      35. Section 220: Additional power to give grants for social housing

      36. Section 221: Extension of the Right to Acquire

      37. Section 222: Rights of pre-emption in connection with assured tenancies

      38. Section 223: Allocation of housing accommodation by local authorities

      39. Section 224: Disabled facilities grant: caravans

      40. Sections 225 & 226: Housing needs assessment

      41. Section 227: Removal of duty on local housing authorities to send annual reports to tenants etc

      42. Section 228: Social Housing Ombudsman for Wales (SHOW)

   7. Part 7

      1. Section 229: Residential property tribunals

      2. Section 230: Powers and procedure of residential property tribunals

      3. Section 231: Appeals from residential property tribunals

      4. Section 232: Register of licences and management orders

      5. Section 233: Approval of codes of practice with regard to the management of HMOs etc

      6. Section 234: Management regulations in respect of HMOs

      7. Section 235: Power to require documents to be produced

      8. Section 236: Enforcement of powers to obtain information

      9. Section 237: Use of information obtained for certain other statutory purposes

      10. Section238: False or misleading information

      11. Section 239: Powers of entry

      12. Section 240: Warrant to authorise entry

      13. Section 241: Penalty for obstruction

      14. Section 242: Additional notice requirements for protection of owners

      15. Section 243: Authorisations for enforcement purposes etc

      16. Section 244: Power to prescribe forms

      17. Section 245: Power to dispense with notices

      18. Sections246 - 248: Service of documents and things done electronically

      19. Section 249: Proof of designations

      20. Section 250: Orders and regulations

      21. Section 251: Offences by bodies corporate

      22. Section 252: Power to up-rate level of fines for certain offences

      23. Section 253: Local inquiries

      24. Section 254: Meaning of “house in multiple occupation”

      25. Section 255: HMO declarations

      26. Section 256: Revocation of HMO declarations

      27. Section 257: HMOs: certain converted blocks of flats

      28. Section 258: HMOs: persons not forming a single household

      29. Section 259: HMOs: persons treated as occupying premises as only or main residence

      30. Section 260:

      31. Section 261: Meaning of "appropriate national authority", "local housing authority" etc.

      32. .

      33. Section 263: Meaning of “person having control” and “person managing” etc

      34. Section 264: Calculations of numbers of persons

      35. Section 265: Minor and consequential amendments

      36. Section 266: Repeals

      37. Section 267: Devolution: Wales

      38. Section 268: The Isles of Scilly

      39. Section 270: Short title, commencement and extent

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   Schedules

   1. Schedule 1: Procedure and appeals relating to improvement notices

   2. Schedule 2: Procedure and appeals relating to prohibition orders

   3. Schedule 3: Improvement notices: enforcement action by local housing authorities

   4. Schedule 4: Licences under Parts 2 or 3: mandatory conditions

   5. Schedule 5: Licences under Parts 2 and 3: procedures and appeals

      Schedule 6: Management orders: procedure and appeals

   6. Schedule 7: Further Provisions regarding empty dwelling management orders

      1. 639.

         Paragraph 22: Power of a residential property tribunal to determine certain leases and licences

   7. Schedule 8: Penalty charge notices under section 168

   8. Schedule 9: New Schedule 5A to the Housing Act 1985: initial Demolition Notices

   9. Schedule 10: Provisions relating to tenancy deposit schemes

   10. Schedule 11: Registered social landlords

   11. Schedule 12: New Schedule 2A to the Housing Act 1996

   12. Schedule 13: Residential property tribunals: procedure

   13. Schedule 14: Buildings which are not HMOs for the purposes of this Act (excluding Part 1)

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   Concluding Sections

   1. Commencement

      1. On Royal Assent

      2. Two months after Royal Assent

      3. By commencement order

9. Hansard References