Estate Agents Act 1979

Supervision, enforcement, publicity etc.U.K.

24 Supervision by Council on Tribunals.U.K.

F1(1). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F2(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Textual Amendments

25 General duties of [F3OFT] .U.K.

(1)Subject to section 26(3) below, it is the duty of the [F3OFT] —

(a)generally to superintend the working and enforcement of this Act, and

(b)where necessary or expedient, [F4itself] to take steps to enforce this Act.

(2)It is the duty of the [F3OFT] , so far as appears to [F5it] to be practicable and having regard both to the national interest and the interests of persons engaged in estate agency work and of consumers, to keep under review and from time to time advise the Secretary of State about—

(a)social and commercial developments in the United Kingdom and elsewhere relating to the carrying on of estate agency work and related activities; and

(b)the working and enforcement of this Act.

(3)The [F3OFT] shall arrange for the dissemination, in such form and manner as [F6it] considers appropriate, of such information and advice as it may appear to [F5it] expedient to give the public in the United Kingdom about the operation of this Act.

Textual Amendments

F3Word in s. 25 substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(12)(a); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

F4Word in s. 25(1) substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(12)(b); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

F5Word in s. 25(2)(3) substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(12)(c); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

F6Word in s. 25(3) substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(12)(d); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

26 Enforcement authorities.U.K.

(1)Without prejudice to section 25(1) above, the following authorities (in this Act referred to as “enforcement authorities”) have a duty to enforce this Act—

(a)the [F7OFT] ,

(b)in Great Britain, a local weights and measures authority, and

(c)in Northern Ireland, the Department of Commerce for Northern Ireland.

F8(2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(3)Nothing in this section or in section 25 above authorises an enforcement authority to institute proceedings in Scotland for an offence.

(4)Every local weights and measures authority shall, whenever the [F7OFT] requires, report to [F9it] in such form and with such particulars as [F9it] requires on the exercise of their functions under this Act.

(5)–(8). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10

Textual Amendments

F7Word in s. 26 substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(13)(a); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

F8S. 26(2) repealed (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(13)(b), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

F9Word in s. 26(4) substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(13)(c); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)

27 Obstruction and personation of authorised officers.U.K.

(1)Any person who—

(a)wilfully obstructs an authorised officer, or

(b)wilfully fails to comply with any requirement properly made to him under section 11 above by an authorised officer, or

(c)without reasonable cause fails to give an authorised officer other assistance or information he may reasonably require in performing his functions under this Act, or

(d)in giving information to an authorised officer, makes any statement which he knows to be false,

shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F11level 4 on the standard scale].

(2)A person who is not an authorised officer but purports to act as such shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding [F11level 5 on the standard scale].

(3)In this section “authorised officer” means a duly authorised officer of an enforcement authority who is acting in pursuance of this Act.

(4)Nothing in subsection (1) above requires a person to answer any question or give any information if to do so might incriminate that person or that person’s [F12spouse or civil partner] .

Textual Amendments