Housing Act 1985

70 Protection of property of homeless persons and persons threatened with homelessness.

(1) This section applies where a local housing authority have reason to believe that an applicant is homeless or threatened with homelessness (or, in the case of an applicant to whom they owe a duty under section 63 (interim duty to accommodate pending inquiries), that he may be homeless) and that—

(a) there is a danger of loss of, or danger to, any personal property of his by reason of his inability to protect it or deal with it, and

(b) no other suitable arrangements have been or are being made.

(2) If the authority have become subject to a duty towards the applicant under section 63, 65(2) or (3)(a), 66(2) or 68 (duty to accommodate during inquiries and duties to persons found to be homeless or threatened with homelessness), then, whether or not they are still subject to such a duty, they shall take reasonable steps to prevent the loss of the property or prevent or mitigate damage to it; and if they have not become subject to such a duty, they may take any steps they consider reasonable for that purpose.

(3) The authority may for the purposes of this section—

(a) enter, at all reasonable times, any premises which are the usual place of residence of the applicant or which were his last usual place of residence, and

(b) deal with any personal property of his in any way which is reasonably necessary, in particular by storing it or arranging for its storage.

(4) The authority may decline to take action under this section except upon such conditions as they consider appropriate in the particular case, which may include conditions as to—

(a) the making and recovery by the authority of reasonable charges for the action taken, or

(b) the disposal by the authority, in such circumstances as may be specified, of property in relation to which they have taken action.

(5) When in the authority’s opinion there is no longer any reason to believe that there is a danger of loss of or damage to a person’s personal property by reason of his inability to protect it or deal with it, the authority cease to have any duty or power to take action under this section; but property stored by virtue of their having taken such action may be kept in store and any conditions upon which it was taken into store continue to have effect, with any necessary modifications.

(6) Where the authority—

(a) cease to be subject to a duty to take action under this section in respect of an applicant’s property, or

(b) cease to have power to take such action, having previously taken such action,

they shall notify the applicant of that fact and of the reason why they are of opinion that there is no longer any reason to believe that there is a danger of loss of or damage to his personal property by reason of his inability to protect it or deal with it.

(7) The notification shall be given to the applicant—

(a) by delivering it to him, or

(b) by leaving it, or sending it to him, at his last known address.

(8) References in this section to personal property of the applicant include personal property of any person who might reasonably be expected to reside with him.