Housing and Regeneration Act 2008

31 Duties in relation to social housing

(1) Subsection (2) applies if the HCA acquires, constructs or converts any housing or other land for use as low cost rental accommodation.

(2) The HCA must ensure that a relevant provider of low cost rental accommodation is the landlord of the accommodation when it is made available for rent.

(3) Subsection (4) applies if the HCA disposes of any housing or other land to a person on condition that the person provides low cost rental accommodation (whether in the same or different housing or other land).

(4) The HCA must impose a further condition that a relevant provider of low cost rental accommodation is the landlord of the accommodation when it is made available for rent.

(5) Subsection (6) applies if the HCA provides infrastructure to a person on condition that the person provides low cost rental accommodation.

(6) The HCA must impose a further condition ensuring that a relevant provider of low cost rental accommodation is the landlord of the accommodation when it is made available for rent.

(7) Subsection (8) applies if the HCA is proposing to give financial assistance on condition that the recipient provides low cost rental accommodation.

(8) The HCA must impose a further condition ensuring that a relevant provider of low cost rental accommodation is the landlord of the accommodation when it is made available for rent.

(9) Subsection (10) applies if the HCA is proposing to give financial assistance on condition that the recipient provides low cost home ownership accommodation.

(10) The HCA must consult the Regulator of Social Housing about the proposals.

(11) For the purposes of this section, a person provides low cost rental accommodation or low cost home ownership accommodation if (and only if) the person acquires, constructs or converts any housing or other land for use as low cost rental accommodation or (as the case may be) low cost home ownership accommodation or ensures such acquisition, construction or conversion by another.

(12) In this section—

• “English local housing authority” means a local housing authority (within the meaning of section 1 of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68)) but excluding a Welsh county council or county borough council,

• “low cost home ownership accommodation” has the meaning given by section 70,

• “low cost rental accommodation” has the meaning given by section 69,

• “relevant provider of low cost rental accommodation” means a registered provider of social housing, an English local housing authority, a county council in England or a person controlled by an English local housing authority or county council in England (and regulations under subsections (5) and (6) of section 113 apply for the purposes of this definition as they apply for the purposes of subsection (4) of that section).