Houses in Multiple Occupation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016 Explanatory Notes

1. Introduction

2. Background and Policy Objectives

3. Overview

4. Commentary on Sections

   1. Part 1: Meaning of “House in Multiple Occupation”

      1. Section 1: Meaning of “house in multiple occupation”

      2. Section 2: Definition of living accommodation

      3. Section 3: Cases where person is treated as occupying accommodation as only or main residence

      4. Section 4: Persons who are members of the same household

      5. Section 5: Notice regarding evidence of household

      6. Section 6: Notice regarding continuation of occupation

   2. Part 2: Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation

      1. Section 7: Requirement for HMOs to be licensed

      2. Section 8: Applications for HMO licence

      3. Section 9: Breach of planning control

      4. Section 10: Fit and proper persons

      5. Section 11: Satisfactory management arrangements

      6. Section 12: Overprovision

      7. Section 13: Suitability of living accommodation for multiple occupation:

      8. Section 14: Licence conditions

      9. Section 15: Temporary exemption notice

      10. Section 16: Extension of temporary exemption notice

      11. Section 17: Safety and security requirements

      12. Section 18: Revocation of temporary exemption notice

      13. Section 19: Duration of HMO licence

      14. Section 20: Renewal of licence

      15. Section 21: Application to renew: effect on existing licence

      16. Section 22: Variation of licences

      17. Section 23: Revocation of licences

      18. Section 24: Variation and revocation: procedure

      19. Section 25: Restriction on applications

      20. Section 26: Joint licence holders

      21. Section 27: Surrender of HMO licence

      22. Section 28: Change of ownership: effect on licence

      23. Section 29: Death of sole licence holder: effect on licence

   3. Part 3: Enforcement of Licensing Requirements

      1. Section 30: Unlicensed HMO

      2. Section 31: Exceeding licensed occupancy or breach of licence conditions

      3. Section 32: Untrue claim that HMO is licensed

      4. Section 33: Agents not named in licence

      5. Section 34: Reasonable excuse

      6. Section 35: Power to require rectification of breach

      7. Section 36: Revocation of rectification notice

      8. Section 37: Failure to comply with rectification notice

      9. Section 38: Revocation orders and disqualification orders

      10. Section 39: Revocations and disqualifications: appeals

      11. Section 40: Discharge of disqualification orders

   4. Part 4: Standards of Housing

      1. Chapter 1: Overcrowding

         1. Section 41: Definition of overcrowding

         2. Section 42: The room standard

         3. Section 43: The space standard

         4. Sections 44 and 45: Overcrowding notices

         5. Section 46: Requirement as to overcrowding generally

         6. Section 47: Requirement not to permit new residents

         7. Section 48: Notice requiring further information

         8. Section 49: Information notice: supplementary provisions

      2. Chapter 2: Suitability for Numbers in Occupation

         1. Section 50: Suitability notice

         2. Section 51: Contents of suitability notice

         3. Section 52: Occupancy requirements

         4. Section 53: Statement of remedial work

      3. Chapter 3: Hazards

         1. Section 54: Definition of a hazard

         2. Section 55: Hazard notice

         3. Section 56: Contents of hazard notice: prohibitions

         4. Section 57: Contents of hazard notice: other matters

         5. Section 58: Works requirement

         6. Section 59: Approvals as to the use of premises

      4. Chapter 4: Further Provisions about Notices under This Part

         1. Section 60: Offences

         2. Section 61: Further provisions

   5. Part 5: Supplementary

      1. Section 62: HMO register

      2. Section 63: Code of practice

      3. Section 64: Fixed penalty: service of notice

      4. Section 65: Fixed penalty: effect of notice

      5. Section 66: Fixed penalty: power to alter amounts

      6. Section 67: Appeals

      7. Section 68: Council’s statement of reasons for decisions which may be appealed

      8. Section 69: Powers of court on appeal

      9. Section 70: Powers to require information and documentation: introductory

      10. Section 71: Power to obtain information from persons connected to the premises

      11. Section 72: Power to require persons connected with the premises to produce documents

      12. Section 73: Power to obtain information from other persons

      13. Section 74: Sharing of information between councils

      14. Section 75: Failure to provide information or provision of false information

      15. Section 76: Unauthorised disclosure of information obtained under Section 73 or 74

      16. Section 77: Court to inform council of convictions

      17. Section 78: Powers of entry: without warrant

      18. Section 79: Powers of entry: with warrant

      19. Section 80: Powers of entry: supplementary provisions

      20. Section 81: Application by owner where consent withheld

      21. Section 82: Obstructions

      22. Section 83: Effect of moving from accommodation for works to be carried out

      23. Section 84: Fees

      24. Section 85: Guidance

      25. Section 86: Regulations and orders

      26. Section 87: General notices

      27. Section 88: Interpretation

      28. Section 89: Consequential amendments and repeals

      29. Section 90: Commencement

      30. Section 91: Short title

5. Schedules:

   1. Schedule 1: Buildings or parts of buildings which are not houses in multiple occupation

   2. Schedule 2: Applications for HMO licences: requirements and procedure

   3. Schedule 3: Further provision about notices that require works to be carried

   4. Schedule 4: Variation and revocation of HMO licences: procedure

   5. Schedule 5: Part 4 notices: further provisions

   6. Schedule 6: Definitions for the purpose of Section 73

   7. Schedule 7: Consequential amendments

   8. Schedule 8: Repeals

6. Hansard Reports