Housing Act 1996

Housing complaints E+W

51 F1 Schemes for investigation of complaints. E+W

(1) The provisions of Schedule 2 have effect for the purpose of enabling tenants and other individuals to have complaints against social landlords investigated by a housing ombudsman in accordance with a scheme approved by the Secretary of State.

(2) For the purposes of that Schedule a “social landlord” means—

(a) a registered social landlord [F2 or a body which was at any time a registered social landlord];

(b) a transferee of housing pursuant to [F3 —

(i) a large scale disposal, within the meaning of section 34 of the Housing Act 1985, for which consent was required under section 32 or 43 of that Act; or

(ii) a qualifying disposal that was made] under section 135 of the M1 Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993;

(c) a body which has acquired dwellings under Part IV of the M2 Housing Act 1988 (change of landlord: secure tenants); or

(d) any other body which was at any time registered with the [F4 Housing Corporation, or with Housing for Wales,] and which owns or manages publicly-funded dwellings.

(3) In subsection (2)(d) a “publicly-funded dwelling” means a dwelling which was—

(a) provided by means of a grant under—

• section 18 of this Act (social housing grant), or

• section 50 of the Housing Act 1988, section 41 of the M3 Housing Associations Act 1985, or section 29 or 29A of the M4 Housing Act 1974 (housing association grant); or

(b) acquired on a disposal by a public sector landlord.

(4) The Secretary of State may by order add to or amend the descriptions of landlords who are to be treated as social landlords for the purposes of Schedule 2.

(5) Before making any such order the Secretary of State shall consult such persons as he considers appropriate.

(6) Any such order shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

[F5 (7) This section shall not apply in relation to social landlords in Wales (within the meaning given by [F6 section 41 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 ] ).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Pt. 1: The system of "registered social landlords" under this Part is replaced (8.9.2008 for specified purposes and 1.12.2008, 16.2.2009, 1.4.2009, 7.9.2009 and 1.4.2010 for further purposes) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), Pt. 2. This Part continues to apply in relation to Wales with certain provisions applied in relation to England and certain provisions preserved although they apply to England only, see s. 60 of the affecting Act; S.I. 2008/2358, art. 3; S.I. 2008/3068, art. 3 (with arts. 6-13); S.I. 2009/363, art. 2; S.I. 2009/803, art. 7; S.I. 2009/2096, art. 2(1); S.I. 2010/862, art. 2 (with Sch.)

F2 Words in s. 51(2)(a) inserted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 140, Sch. 16 para. 90(a) (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art.5.

F3 Words in s. 51(2)(b) substituted (1.12.2008) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), s. 325(1), Sch. 14 para. 4(2); S.I. 2008/3068, art. 4(1)(c) (with arts. 6-13)

F4 Words in s. 51(2)(d) substituted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 140, Sch. 16 para. 90(b) (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art.5.

F5 S. 51(7) inserted (14.7.2005) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228(1), 270(7); S.I. 2005/1814, arts. 1(2), 2(c)

F6 Words in s. 51(7) substituted (1.4.2006) by Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (c. 10), s. 40, Sch. 6 para. 57; S.I. 2005/2800, art. 5(1)(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 51(2)(d) modified (1.12.2008) by The Transfer of Housing Corporation Functions (Modifications and Transitional Provisions) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/2839), arts. 1(1), 3, Sch. para. 5 (with art. 6)

Commencement Information

I1 S. 51 wholly in force 1.4.1997; s. 51 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 232(3); s.51 in force for certain purposes at 1.8.1996 by S.I. 1996/2048, art. 2; s. 51(1) in force so far as not already in force and 51(2)-(6) in force at 1.4.1997 by S.I. 1997/618, art. 2 (subject to the limitation in (2) of that art.)

Marginal Citations

M1 1993 c. 28.

M2 1988 c. 50.

M3 1985 c. 69.

M4 1974 c. 44.

F8 F9 [F7 51A Social Housing Ombudsman for Wales E+W

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Textual Amendments

F7 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228, 270(2)(b)

F8 Ss. 51A-51C repealed (1.4.2006) by Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (c. 10), s. 40, Sch. 6 para. 58, Sch. 7; S.I. 2005/2800, art. 5(1)(3) (with Sch. 2)

F9 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes, 14.7.2005 in so far as not already in force) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228(2), 270(2)(b); S.I. 2005/1814, arts. 1(2), 2(c)

F8 F9 51B Investigation of complaints E+W

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Textual Amendments

F7 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228, 270(2)(b)

F8 Ss. 51A-51C repealed (1.4.2006) by Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (c. 10), s. 40, Sch. 6 para. 58, Sch. 7; S.I. 2005/2800, art. 5(1)(3) (with Sch. 2)

F9 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes, 14.7.2005 in so far as not already in force) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228(2), 270(2)(b); S.I. 2005/1814, arts. 1(2), 2(c)

F8 F9 51C] Meaning of “social landlord in Wales” E+W

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Textual Amendments

F7 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228, 270(2)(b)

F8 Ss. 51A-51C repealed (1.4.2006) by Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2005 (c. 10), s. 40, Sch. 6 para. 58, Sch. 7; S.I. 2005/2800, art. 5(1)(3) (with Sch. 2)

F9 Ss. 51A-51C inserted (18.11.2004 for specified purposes, 14.7.2005 in so far as not already in force) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), ss. 228(2), 270(2)(b); S.I. 2005/1814, arts. 1(2), 2(c)