Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981

Power to enter on lands N.I.

13.—(1) A person authorised in writing by the Executive may, at all reasonable times, on giving—

(a) in the case of entry under this Article for the sole purpose of examination, at least 24 hours' notice of his intention to the occupier or owner; and

(b) in the case of entry under this Article for any other purpose, at least 6 days' notice in writing of his intention to the occupier and to the owner, if the owner is known,

or, in either case, such lesser period of notice as may be agreed between the person so authorised and the occupier or the owner, and, in any case, on production (if so required) of his authority, enter for the purpose of survey, valuation or examination—

(i) any land which the Executive proposes to acquire compulsorily;

(ii) any land, where it appears to the Executive that survey, valuation or examination is necessary in order to determine whether any powers under this Order should be exercised in respect of that land;

and any power conferred by this Article to survey land shall be construed as including power to search and bore for the purpose of ascertaining the course of any sewers or drains or of ascertaining the nature of the subsoil or the presence of minerals therein, or both, and to take and carry away, for the purpose of examination, specimens of the subsoil or minerals, or both, found therein.

(2) Where any property is damaged in the exercise of a right of entry conferred by this Article, or in the making of any survey or examination or the doing of anything for the purpose of which any such right of entry has been so conferred, compensation in respect of that damage may be recovered from the Executive by any person interested in the property.

(3) Any question of disputed compensation under this Article shall be referred to and determined by the Lands Tribunal.

(4) Any reference in this Article to an occupier or to an owner shall be construed as including a reference to a person appointed in writing by such occupier or owner as his representative for purposes which include all or any of the purposes of this Article.