Housing Act 1964

67 Overcrowded houses and execution of works for overcrowded houses

(1) If the condition of a house which, or a part of which, is let in lodgings, or which is occupied by members of more than one family, is, in the opinion of the local authority, defective in one or more of the ways described in section 15(1) of the Act of 1961, having regard to the number of individuals or households, or both, accommodated for the time being on the premises, the notice which the local authority may serve under that subsection may be a notice specifying the works which in the opinion of the local authority are required for rendering the premises reasonably suitable for occupation by a number of individuals or households smaller than the number accommodated for the time being on the premises.

(2) A notice served in pursuance of the foregoing subsection shall specify the number of individuals or households, or both, which in the opinion of the local authority the premises could reasonably accommodate if the works specified in the notice were carried out, and one of the grounds on which an appeal may be brought under section 17 of the Act of 1961 against such a notice shall be that the number so specified in the notice is unreasonably low.

(3) Where the local authority have in pursuance of the foregoing provisions of this section served a notice specifying the number of individuals or households, or both, which in the opinion of the local authority the premises could reasonably accommodate if the works specified in the notice were carried out, the local authority may adopt that number of individuals (or a number of individuals determined by reference to that number of households) in fixing a limit under section 19(1) of the Act of 1961 (directions to prevent or reduce overcrowding in houses in multiple occupation) as respects the house.

(4) No notice shall be served under section 15(1) of the Act of 1961 in pursuance of subsection (1) of this section as respects a building which is not a house but to which the said section 15 is applied by section 21 of the Act of 1961.

(5) In section 19(2) of the Act of 1961 (which imposes certain duties on the occupier for the time being of a house in respect of which a direction is given under that section fixing a limit as regards the numbers who should live there) the reference to the occupier for the time being of the house shall include a reference to any person who is for the time being entitled or authorised to permit individuals to take up residence in the house or any part of the house.