Housing Act 1996

36 F1 Issue of guidance by the [F2 Relevant Authority]. E+W

(1) The [F2 Relevant Authority] may issue guidance with respect to the management of housing accommodation by registered social landlords.

(2) Guidance under [F3 subsection (1) ] may, in particular, be issued with respect to—

(a) the housing demands for which provision should be made and the means of meeting those demands;

(b) the allocation of housing accommodation between individuals;

(c) the terms of tenancies and the principles upon which levels of rent should be determined;

(d) standards of maintenance and repair and the means of achieving those standards;

(e) the services to be provided to tenants;

(f) the procedures to be adopted to deal with complaints by tenants against a landlord;

(g) consultation and communication with tenants;

(h) the devolution to tenants of decisions concerning the management of housing accommodation.

[F4 (i) the policy and procedures a landlord is required under section 218A to prepare and from time to time revise in connection with anti-social behaviour.]

[F5 (2A) The Relevant Authority may also issue guidance with respect to—

(a) the governance of bodies that are registered social landlords;

(b) the effective management of such bodies;

(c) establishing and maintaining the financial viability of such bodies.]

[F6 (3) Before issuing any guidance under this section the Relevant Authority shall consult such bodies appearing to the Relevant Authority to be representative of registered social landlords as the Relevant Authority considers appropriate; and where the Relevant Authority issues guidance under this section it shall be issued in such manner as the Relevant Authority considers appropriate for bringing it to the notice of the landlords concerned.

(4) The Housing Corporation shall not issue guidance under this section unless—

(a) it has been submitted in draft to the Secretary of State for his approval, and

(b) the Secretary of State has given his approval to the draft.]

(5) Guidance issued under this section may be revised or withdrawn; and subsections (3) and (4) apply in relation to the revision of guidance as in relation to its issue.

(6) Guidance under this section may make different provision in relation to different cases and, in particular, in relation to different areas, different descriptions of housing accommodation and different descriptions of registered social landlord.

(7) In considering whether action needs to be taken to secure the proper management of the affairs of a registered social landlord or whether there has been [F7 misconduct or ] mismanagement, the [F2 Relevant Authority] may have regard (among other matters) to the extent to which any guidance under this section is being or has been followed.

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 Pt. I substituted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 140, Sch. 16 para. 82(1)(2) (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art.5.

F3 Words in s. 36(2) substituted (18.1.2005) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), s. 270(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 13(2)

F4 S. 36(2)(i) inserted (30.6.2004 for E.) by Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003 (c. 38), ss. 12(2), 93; S.I. 2004/1502, art. 2(a)(i)

F5 S. 36(2A) inserted (18.1.2005) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), s. 270(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 13(3)

F6 S. 36(3)(4) substituted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 140, Sch. 16 para.87 (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art.5.

F7 Words in s. 36(7) inserted (18.1.2005) by Housing Act 2004 (c. 34), s. 270(3)(c), Sch. 11 para. 13(4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 36(4) 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. 36 wholly in force 1.10.1996; s. 36 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 232(1)-(3); s. 36(1)-(6) in force at 1.8.1996 by S.I. 1996/2048, art. 2 and s. 36(7) in force at 1.10.1996 by S.I. 1996/2402, art. 3 (with transitional provisions and savings in the Sch.)