Housing Act 1964

20 Tenement blocks in England and Wales

(1) If as respects a tenement block in England and Wales, whether in an improvement area or not, the local authority are satisfied—

(a) that all or any of the dwellings in the tenement block are without one or more of the standard amenities, and

(b) that those dwellings are capable of improvement at reasonable expense to the full standard or, if not, to the reduced standard, and

(c) that those dwellings after being so improved will be in such condition as to be fit for human habitation and will be likely, subject to normal maintenance, to remain in that condition and available for use as living accommodation for a period of not less than fifteen years,

they may at any time serve a notice (in this Part of this Act referred to as " a preliminary notice ") on the person having control of the tenement block—

(i) specifying the works which in the opinion of the local authority are required so as to improve the dwellings in the tenement block to the full standard or, so far as in the opinion of the local authority the dwellings are not capable of improvement at reasonable expense to the full standard, to the reduced standard, with an estimate of the cost of carrying out those works, and

(ii) stating the date (being a date not less than twenty-one days after service of the notice) and time and place at which the local authority's proposals for the carrying out of the works, any alternative proposals, and the views and interests of the tenants and any other matters may be discussed.

(2) The local authority shall, not less than twenty-one days before the date so stated in the preliminary notice, in addition to serving the notice on the person having control of the tenement block, serve a copy of the notice on the occupier of each of the dwellings in the tenement block and on every other person who, to the knowledge of the local authority, is an owner, lessee or mortgagee of the premises; and the person having control of the premises and every owner, lessee or mortgagee of the premises shall be entitled to be heard when the local authority's proposals are discussed in accordance with the notice.

(3) Where in the opinion of the local authority any two or more dwellings in the tenement block, although not capable of improvement at reasonable expense to the full standard so as to include in each a bathroom containing a fixed bath or shower, can be provided for the exclusive use of the occupants of the dwellings with a number of such bathrooms which is not less than half the number of those dwellings, the works specified in the notice may include works for the provision of such bathrooms to that number for the exclusive use of the occupants of those dwellings.

(4) It shall be the duty of every local authority to cause an inspection of their district to be made with a view to ascertaining whether there are any premises in their district which ought to be dealt with under this section, and for that purpose it shall be the duty of each local authority, and of every officer of the local authority, to comply with such regulations and to keep such records as the Minister may prescribe.