Housing Act 2004

139 Service of overcrowding notices

(1) This Chapter applies to any HMO—

(a) in relation to which no interim or final management order is in force; and

(b) which is not required to be licensed under Part 2.

(2) The local housing authority may serve an overcrowding notice on one or more relevant persons if, having regard to the rooms available, it considers that an excessive number of persons is being, or is likely to be, accommodated in the HMO concerned.

(3) The authority must, at least 7 days before serving an overcrowding notice—

(a) inform in writing every relevant person (whether or not the person on whom the authority is to serve the notice) of their intention to serve the notice; and

(b) ensure that, so far as is reasonably possible, every occupier of the HMO concerned is informed of the authority’s intention.

(4) The authority must also give the persons informed under subsection (3) an opportunity of making representations about the proposal to serve an overcrowding notice.

(5) An overcrowding notice becomes operative, if no appeal is brought under section 143, at the end of the period of 21 days from the date of service of the notice.

(6) If no appeal is brought under section 143, an overcrowding notice is final and conclusive as to matters which could have been raised on such an appeal.

(7) A person who contravenes an overcrowding notice commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.

(8) In proceedings for an offence under subsection (7) it is a defence that the person had a reasonable excuse for contravening the notice.

(9) In this section “relevant person” means a person who is, to the knowledge of the local housing authority—

(a) a person having an estate or interest in the HMO concerned, or

(b) a person managing or having control of it.