Local Government and Housing Act 1989

119 Condition as to availability for letting

(1) This section applies where an application for a renovation grant or a disabled facilities grant, other than an application for a disabled facilities grant in respect of works to the common parts of a building containing flats, has been approved by a local housing authority and the application for the grant was accompanied by a certificate of intended letting.

(2) It is a condition of the grant that throughout the initial period—

(a) the dwelling will be let or available for letting as a residence, and not for a holiday, on a tenancy which is not a long tenancy by the owner for the time being of the dwelling to a person who is not connected with him, or

(b) the dwelling will be occupied or available for occupation by a member of the agricultural population in pursuance of a contract of service and otherwise than as a tenant,

disregarding any part of that period in which neither of the above paragraphs applies but the dwelling is occupied by a person who is a protected occupier under the [1976 c. 80.] Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 or is occupied under an assured agricultural occupancy, within the meaning of Part I of the [1988 c. 50.] Housing Act 1988.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) above, a person is connected with the owner for the time being of a dwelling if,—

(a) in a case where personal representatives or trustees are the owner, he is a person who under the will or intestacy or, as the case may be, under the terms of the trust concerned is beneficially entitled to an interest in the dwelling or to the proceeds of sale of the dwelling; and

(b) in any other case, he is a member of the family of the owner.

(4) It is also a condition of the grant—

(a) that if, at any time within the initial period, the local housing authority by whom the grant was paid serve notice on the owner of the dwelling requiring him to do so, he will, within the period of twenty-one days beginning on the date on which the notice was served, furnish to the authority a statement showing how the condition in subsection (2) above is being fulfilled; and

(b) that, if required to do so by the owner of the dwelling, any tenant of the dwelling will furnish the owner with such information as he may reasonably require to enable him to comply with a notice served under paragraph (a) above.

(5) A condition under subsection (2) or subsection (4) above is a local land charge and shall, subject to subsection (9) and section 125 below, remain in force with respect to the dwelling for a period of five years from the certified date.

(6) So long as a condition under subsection (2) or subsection (4) above remains in force with respect to a dwelling—

(a) it is binding on any person, other than a local housing authority or registered housing association, who is for the time being the owner of the dwelling; and

(b) it is enforceable against all other persons having an interest in the dwelling as if it were a condition of the terms of every tenancy of, or of property including, the dwelling.

(7) In the event of a breach of a condition under subsection (2) or subsection (4) above, the local housing authority may demand that the owner for the time being of the dwelling pay a sum equal to the amount of the grant less so much (if any) of it as has already been repaid under section 120 below, together with compound interest on that sum as from the certified date, calculated at such reasonable rate as the local housing authority may determine and with yearly rests.

(8) The local housing authority may determine not to make such a demand or may demand a lesser amount.

(9) On satisfaction of the liability arising from a demand under this section, the conditions under subsections (2) and (4) above and subsection (2) of section 120 below shall cease to be in force with respect to the dwelling in question.