Housing Act 1985

369 The management code.

(1) The Secretary of State may, with a view to providing a code for the management of houses in multiple occupation, by regulations make provision for ensuring that the person managing a house in multiple occupation observes proper standards of management.

(2) The regulations may, in particular, require the person managing the house to ensure the repair, maintenance, cleansing and good order of—

• all means of water supply and drainage in the house,

• kitchens, bathrooms and water closets in common use,

• sinks and wash-basins in common use,

• common staircases, corridors and passage ways, and

• outbuildings, yards and gardens in common use,

and to make satisfactory arrangements for the disposal of refuse and litter from the house.

(3) The regulations may—

(a) make different provision for different types of house;

(b) provide for keeping a register of the names and addresses of those who are persons managing houses;

(c) impose duties on persons who have an estate or interest in a house or part of a house to which the regulations apply as to the giving of information to the local housing authority, and in particular make it the duty of a person who acquires or ceases to hold an estate or interest in the house to notify the authority;

(d) impose duties on persons who live in the house for the purpose of ensuring that the person managing the house can effectively carry out the duties imposed on him by the regulations;

(e) authorise the local housing authority to obtain information as to the number of individuals or households accommodated in the house;

(f) make it the duty of the person managing the house to cause a copy of the order under section 370 applying the regulations to the house, and of the regulations, to be displayed in a suitable position in the house;

(g) contain such other incidental and supplementary provisions as may appear to the Secretary of State to be expedient.

(4) Regulations under this section may vary or replace for the purposes of this section and of the regulations made under it the definition given in section 398 of the “person managing” a house.

(5) A person who knowingly contravenes or without reasonable excuse fails to comply with a regulation under this section as applied under section 370 in relation to a house commits a summary offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(6) Regulations under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.