{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/estate-agents-act-1979/section-26",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/estate-agents-act-1979/section-26.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1979/38",
  "legislation_title": "Estate Agents Act 1979",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/estate-agents-act-1979",
  "path": "section/26",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "26",
  "heading": "Enforcement authorities.",
  "text": "(1) Without prejudice to section 25(1) above, the following authorities (in this Act referred to as “enforcement authorities”) have a duty to enforce this Act—\n(a) the lead enforcement authority,\n(b) in Great Britain, a local weights and measures authority, and\n(c) in Northern Ireland, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland .\n(1A) For the investigatory powers available to an authority for the purposes of the duty in subsection (1), see Schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) Nothing in this section or in section 25 above authorises an enforcement authority to institute proceedings in Scotland for an offence.\n(4) Every local weights and measures authority shall, whenever the lead enforcement authority requires, report to it in such form and with such particulars as it requires on the exercise of their functions under this Act.\n5)–(8) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 26(1)(a) substituted (31.3.2014) by The Public Bodies (Abolition of the National Consumer Council and Transfer of the Office of Fair Trading’s Functions in relation to Estate Agents etc) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/631), art. 1(5), Sch. 2 para. 1(10)(a) (with Sch. 1 para. 28, 2 paras. 13-15)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 26(1)(c) substituted (1.10.2016) by Housing and Planning Act 2016 (c. 22), ss. 132(2), 216(3); S.I. 2016/733, reg. 4(1)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "S. 26(1A) inserted (1.10.2015) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 6 para. 24; S.I. 2015/1630, art. 3(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "S. 26(2) repealed (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(13)(b), Sch. 26; S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 26(4) substituted (31.3.2014) by The Public Bodies (Abolition of the National Consumer Council and Transfer of the Office of Fair Trading’s Functions in relation to Estate Agents etc) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/631), art. 1(5), Sch. 2 para. 1(10)(a) (with Sch. 1 para. 28, 2 paras. 13-15)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Word in s. 26(4) substituted (1.4.2003) by Enterprise Act 2002 (c. 40), s. 279, Sch. 25 para. 9(13)(c); S.I. 2003/766, art. 2, Sch. (with art. 3) (as amended (20.7.2007) by S.I. 2007/1846, reg. 3(2), Sch.)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "S. 26(5)–(8) repealed by Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 (c. 65, SIF 81:1, 2), s. 1(4), Sch. 34 Pt. IV"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1979/38/section/26",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:17:14.771399+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}