Housing Act 1957

27 Closing orders: general provisions

(1) A closing order shall be aq order prohibiting the use of the premises as respects which the order is made for any purpose other than a purpose approved by the local authority, and any person who, knowing that a closing order has become operative and applies to any premises, uses those premises in contravention of the order, or permits them to be so used, shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty pounds and to a further fine of five pounds for every day, or part of a day, on which he so uses them, or permits them to be so used, after conviction.

(2) The approval of the local authority under the foregoing subsection shall not be unreasonably withheld and they shall determine the order on being satisfied that the premises as respects which it was made have been rendered fit for human habitation.

(3) Any person aggrieved by—

(a) the withholding of approval by the local authority of any use of the premises to which the closing order relates, or

(b) a refusal by the local authority to determine the closing order,

may, within twenty-one days after the refusal, appeal to the county court within the jurisdiction of which the premises to which the closing order relates are situated.

(4) No appeal shall lie under paragraph (b) of the last foregoing subsection at the instance of a person who is in occupation of the premises to which the closing order relates under a lease or agreement of which the unexpired term does not exceed three years.

(5) Nothing in the Rent Acts shall prevent possession being obtained by the owner of premises in a case where a closing order under the proviso to subsection (1) of section seventeen or under section eighteen of this Act is in force in respect thereof.