Housing Act 1985

468 Required standard to be attained.

(1) A local housing authority shall not approve an application for an improvement grant unless they are satisfied that, on completion of the relevant works, the dwelling or, as the case may be, each of the dwellings to which the application relates will attain the required standard.

(2) A dwelling attains the required standard if—

(a) it is provided with all the standard amenities for the exclusive use of its occupants,

(b) it is in reasonable repair,

(c) it conforms with such requirements with respect to construction and physical conditions and the provision of services and amenities as may for the time being be specified by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section, and

(d) it is likely to provide satisfactory housing accommodation for a period of 30 years.

(3) If it appears to the authority that it is not practicable at reasonable expense for a dwelling—

(a) to be provided with all the standard amenities, or

(b) to be put into a state of reasonable repair, or

(c) to conform in every respect with the requirements referred to subsection (2)(c),

the authority may, for that dwelling, reduce the required standard by dispensing with the condition in question to such extent as will enable them, if they think fit, to approve the application.

(4) The authority may also, to the extent that they think fit, dispense with any of the conditions specified in subsection (2)(a) to (c) if they are satisfied that the applicant could not, without undue hardship, finance the cost of the works without the assistance of a grant.

(5) The authority may, if it appears to them reasonable to do so in any case, reduce the required standard by substituting for the period specified in subsection (2)(d) such shorter period of not less than 10 years as appears to them to be appropriate in the circumstances.