Housing Act 2004

9 Guidance about inspections and enforcement action

(1) The appropriate national authority may give guidance to local housing authorities about exercising—

(a) their functions under this Chapter in relation to the inspection of premises and the assessment of hazards,

(b) their functions under Chapter 2 of this Part in relation to improvement notices, prohibition orders or hazard awareness notices,

(c) their functions under Chapter 3 in relation to emergency remedial action and emergency prohibition orders, or

(d) their functions under Part 9 of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68) in relation to demolition orders and slum clearance.

(2) A local housing authority must have regard to any guidance for the time being given under this section.

(3) The appropriate national authority may give different guidance for different cases or descriptions of case or different purposes (including different guidance to different descriptions of local housing authority or to local housing authorities in different areas).

(4) Before giving guidance under this section, or revising guidance already given, the Secretary of State must lay a draft of the proposed guidance or alterations before each House of Parliament.

(5) The Secretary of State must not give or revise the guidance before the end of the period of 40 days beginning with the day on which the draft is laid before each House of Parliament (or, if copies are laid before each House of Parliament on different days, the later of those days).

(6) The Secretary of State must not proceed with the proposed guidance or alterations if, within the period of 40 days mentioned in subsection (5), either House resolves that the guidance or alterations be withdrawn.

(7) Subsection (6) is without prejudice to the possibility of laying a further draft of the guidance or alterations before each House of Parliament.

(8) In calculating the period of 40 days mentioned in subsection (5), no account is to be taken of any time during which Parliament is dissolved or prorogued or during which both Houses are adjourned for more than four days.