This Order brings into force various provisions of the Housing Act 2004 (“the 2004 Act”) in relation to Wales.
The following provisions of the 2004 Act listed under article 2 come into force on 25 November 2005:
section 4 (which allows a local housing authority to inspect residential premises in their district with a view to determining whether any category 1 or 2 hazard exists on those premises);
section 55 (subsections (1) and (2) of which set out the scope of the licensing provisions for houses in multiple occupation (“HMOs”) under Part 2 of the 2004 Act);
section 56 (which enables local authorities to designate an area to be subject to additional licensing in respect of specified HMOs);
section 57 (which sets out the matters that a local housing authority must consider before exercising the powers in section 56 of the 2004 Act);
section 79 (which sets out the scope of the licensing provisions for houses in Part 3 of the 2004 Act);
section 80 (which enables a local housing authority to designate an area as subject to selective licensing if it is, or may become, an area of low housing demand or has a significant and persistent problem with anti social behaviour);
section 81 (which sets out the matters the local housing authority must consider before exercising the powers under section 80 of the 2004 Act);
section 179 (which amends the Housing Act 1996 by inserting new sections 125A and 125B which allow an introductory tenancy to be extended by up to six months);
section 192 (which amends the Housing Act 1985 (“the 1985 Act”) by inserting a new section 121A which enables landlords of secure tenants to seek an order from the court suspending the right to buy for a specified period on the grounds of anti-social behaviour);
section 193 (which amends section 138 of the 1985 Act by inserting new subsections (2A) to (2D) which prevent a tenant being able to compel completion of a right to buy sale if an application is pending for a demotion order, a suspension order, or a possession order sought on the grounds of anti-social behaviour);
section 194 (which allows any person to provide relevant information to the landlord of a secure tenant to enable the landlord to exercise functions connected with the provisions inserted by sections 191 to 193 of the 2004 Act); and
section 237 (which enables a local housing authority to use information which it has obtained for housing benefit or council tax purposes in order to carry out its functions under Parts 1 to 4 of the 2004 Act).