Housing Act 1985

286 Obstructive building order: recovery of possession of building to be demolished.

(1) Where an obstructive building order has become operative, the local housing authority shall serve on the occupier of the building, or part of a building, to which the order relates a notice—

(a) stating the effect of the order,

(b) specifying the date by which the order requires the building to be vacated, and

(c) requiring him to quit the building before that date or before the expiration of 28 days from the service of the notice, whichever may be the later.

(2) If at any time after the date on which the notice requires the building to be vacated a person is in occupation of the building, or part of it, the local housing authority or an owner of the building may apply to the county court which shall order vacant possession of the building, or of the part of it, to be given to the applicant within such period, of not less than two or more than four weeks, as the court may determine.

(3) Nothing in the Rent Acts affects the provisions of this section relating to the obtaining of possession of a building.

(4) A person who, knowing that an obstructive building order has become operative and applies to a building—

(a) enters into occupation of the building, or of a part of it, after the date by which the order requires the building to be vacated, or

(b) permits another person to enter into such occupation after that date,

commits a summary offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale and to a further fine not exceeding £5 a day for every day or part of a day on which the occupation continues after conviction.