Local Government and Housing Act 1989

74 Duty to keep Housing Revenue Account

(1) A local housing authority shall keep, in accordance with proper practices, an account, called the “Housing Revenue Account”, of sums falling to be credited or debited in respect of—

(a) houses and other buildings which have been provided under Part II of the [1985 c. 68.] Housing Act 1985 (provision of housing);

(b) land which has been acquired or appropriated for the purposes of that Part;

(c) houses purchased under section 192 of that Act (purchase of house found on appeal against repair notice to be unfit and beyond repair at reasonable cost);

(d) dwellings in respect of which a local authority have received assistance under section 1 or section 4(2A) of the [1926 c. 56.] Housing (Rural Workers) Act 1926;

(e) any property which—

(i) with the consent of the Secretary of State given under section 417(1) of the Housing Act 1985,

(ii) with the consent of a Minister given under section 50(1)(e) of the [1958 c. 42.] Housing (Financial Provisions) Act 1958, or

(iii) by virtue of section 50(2) of that Act (houses vesting in local authority on default of another person),

was brought within the corresponding account kept under Part XIII of the Housing Act 1985 for years beginning before 1st April 1990; and

(f) such land, houses or other buildings not within the preceding paragraphs as the Secretary of State may direct.

(2) References in subsection (1) above and the other provisions of this Part to provisions of the Housing Act 1985 include, where the context so admits, references to the corresponding provisions of earlier enactments; and the reference in paragraph (b) of that subsection to land acquired for the purposes of Part II of that Act includes—

(a) land which a local authority were deemed to have acquired under Part V of the [1957 c. 56.] Housing Act 1957 by virtue of section 57(6) of that Act (land acquired for re-development in pursuance of re-development plan) before the repeal of that section on 25th August 1969; and

(b) any structures on such land which were made available to a local authority under section 1 of the [1944 c. 36.] Housing (Temporary Accommodation) Act 1944 (prefabs).

(3) Paragraphs (a) to (e) of subsection (1) above shall not apply to—

(a) land, houses or other buildings disposed of by the authority;

(b) land acquired by the authority for the purpose of disposing of houses provided, or to be provided, on the land, or of disposing of the land to a person who intends to provide housing accommodation on it;

(c) houses provided by the authority on land so acquired; or

(d) such land, houses or other buildings as the Secretary of State may direct;

and paragraph (a) of that subsection shall not apply to houses and other buildings provided on or before 6th February 1919.

(4) A local housing authority not possessing property to which subsection (1) above applies shall nevertheless keep a Housing Revenue Account unless the Secretary of State consents to their not doing so and they comply with such conditions (if any) as may be specified in the consent.

(5) In this Part—

(a) references to the houses or other property of an authority within the authority’s Housing Revenue Account are references to the houses, dwellings or other property to which subsection (1) above for the time being applies; and

(b) references (however expressed) to a disposal are references to a conveyance of the freehold, or a grant or assignment of a lease (other than a shared ownership lease) which is a long tenancy within the meaning given by section 115 of the [1985 c. 68.] Housing Act 1985.

(6) Sections 417 to 420 of, and Schedule 14 to, the Housing Act 1985 (which are superseded by this section, sections 75 to 78 below and Schedule 4 to this Act) shall cease to have effect.