The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1986

Purchase of certain land by authority possessing powers of compulsory acquisition N.I.

10.—(1) In any case where—

(a) there was a disposal of an interest in a defective dwelling, being an interest held by a person (in this Article referred to as “the owner”) who immediately before the time of disposal was eligible for assistance in respect of the dwelling,

(b) the disposal was made to an authority possessing compulsory acquisition powers, otherwise than in pursuance of Article 9,

(c) on the disposal, the authority acquired an interest in any affected land, that is to say, the defective dwelling and any garage, outhouse, garden, yard and appurtenances occupied with and used for the purposes of the dwelling or any part of it, and

(d) the amount paid in consideration of the disposal did not include any amount attributable to the owner's right to apply for assistance in respect of the dwelling,

the owner is entitled, subject to the following provisions of this Article, to be paid by the Executive the amount (if any) by which ninety-five per cent of the defect-free value exceeds the amount of compensation for the disposal.

(2) For the purposes of this Article, the amount of compensation for the disposal is—

(a) the amount that would have been the proper amount of compensation for the disposal (having regard, where any relevant determination has been made by the Lands Tribunal, to that determination), or

(b) if greater, the amount paid as the consideration for the disposal,

but excluding any amount payable for disturbance or any other matter not directly based on the value of the land.

(3) In this Article “defect-free value” means the amount that would have been the proper amount of compensation for the disposal (excluding any amount so payable) if none of the defective dwellings to which the designation in question related had been affected by the qualifying defect.

(4) For the purposes of this Article—

(a) it is to be assumed that the disposal occurred on a compulsory acquisition (in cases where it did not in fact do so),

(b) where the compensation for the disposal fell to be assessed by reference to the value of the land as a site cleared of buildings and available for development then, for the purpose of determining the defect-free value, it is to be assumed that the compensation did not fall to be so assessed, and

(c) any amount which, apart from this sub-paragraph, would be payable by the Executive under paragraph (1) shall be reduced by the amount of any payment made in respect of the defective dwelling under Article 93 of the Order of 1981.

(5) The Executive is not required to make a payment to any person under this Article unless he makes a written application to it for the payment before the end of the period of two years beginning with the time of disposal.

(6) Where the Executive refuses an application for a payment under this Article on the grounds that the owner was not eligible for assistance in respect of the defective dwelling at the time of the disposal, it shall give to the applicant a notice in writing stating the reasons for its view.

(7) Any question arising under this Article as to the amount of compensation for a disposal or defect-free value shall be determined by the district valuer if the owner or the Executive so requires by notice in writing served on the district valuer.

(8) Before making a determination in pursuance of paragraph (7), the district valuer shall consider any representations by the owner or the Executive made to him within four weeks from the service of the notice under that paragraph.

(9) A person serving a notice on the district valuer under paragraph (7) shall serve notice in writing of that fact on the Executive or, as the case may be, the owner.

(10) In this Article—

• “authority possessing compulsory acquisition powers” means a person with power to acquire an interest in land otherwise than by agreement;

• “district valuer” has the meaning given in Article 2(2) of the [1977 NI 28] Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977.

(11) In this Article references to the owner include a reference to his personal representatives.