16Reinstatement of defective dwelling by appropriate authority
(1)Where a relevant interest in a defective dwelling has been disposed of by a public sector authority, then (without prejudice to any of their other powers) the appropriate authority may before the end of the period within which a person may seek assistance under this Act in respect of the dwelling enter into an agreement with any person holding an interest in the dwelling or any person who is a statutory tenant of it to execute at his expense any of the work required to reinstate the dwelling.
(2)For the purposes of subsection (1) above, a disposal by or under any enactment of an interest in a dwelling held by a public sector authority is to be treated as a disposal of that interest by the authority.
(3)In this section " statutory tenant" is to be construed in accordance with section 2 of the 1977 Act or, as the case may be, section 3 of the 1971 Act.