OpenLegislation

Houses in Multiple Occupation Act (Northern Ireland) 2016

2016 nia 22 · Enacted 12 May 2016 · Extends to Northern Ireland

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 13 January 2020.

An Act to make provision for and in connection with the licensing of houses in multiple occupation.

[12th May 2016]

BE IT ENACTED by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:

Contents

  1. Part 1: Meaning of “house in multiple occupation”
  2. 1Meaning of “house in multiple occupation”
  3. 2Definition of living accommodation
  4. 3Cases where person is treated as occupying accommodation as only or main residence
  5. 4Persons who are members of the same household
  6. 5Notice regarding evidence of household
  7. 6Notice regarding continuation of occupation
  8. Part 2: Licensing of Houses in multiple occupation
  9. Requirement for and issue of licences
  10. 7Requirement for HMOs to be licensed
  11. 8Applications for HMO licence
  12. 9Breach of planning control
  13. 10Fit and proper persons
  14. 11Satisfactory management arrangements
  15. 12Overprovision
  16. 13Suitability of living accommodation for multiple occupation
  17. Licence conditions
  18. 14Licence conditions
  19. Temporary exemption from licensing requirement
  20. 15Temporary exemption notice
  21. 16Extension of temporary exemption notice
  22. 17Safety and security requirements
  23. 18Revocation of temporary exemption notice
  24. Duration and renewal
  25. 19Duration of HMO licence
  26. 20Renewal of licence
  27. 21Application to renew: effect on existing licence
  28. Variation and revocation
  29. 22Variation of licences
  30. 23Revocation of licences
  31. 24Variation and revocation: procedure
  32. Other provision about licences
  33. 25Restriction on applications
  34. 26Joint licence holders
  35. 27Surrender of HMO licence
  36. 28Change of ownership: effect on licence
  37. 29Death of sole licence holder: effect on licence
  38. Part 3: Enforcement of licensing requirements
  39. Offences
  40. 30Unlicensed HMO
  41. 31Exceeding licensed occupancy or breach of licence conditions
  42. 32Untrue claim that HMO is licensed
  43. 33Agents not named in licence
  44. 34Reasonable excuse
  45. Rectification of breaches of conditions
  46. 35Power to require rectification of breach of condition
  47. 36Revocation of rectification notice
  48. 37Failure to comply with rectification notice
  49. Orders of the court: revocation and disqualification
  50. 38Revocation orders and disqualification orders
  51. 39Revocations and disqualifications: appeals
  52. 40Discharge of disqualification orders
  53. Part 4: Standards of housing
  54. Chapter 1: Overcrowding
  55. Definition
  56. 41Definition of overcrowding
  57. 42The room standard
  58. 43The space standard
  59. Overcrowding notices
  60. 44Overcrowding notices
  61. 45Contents of overcrowding notice
  62. 46Requirement as to overcrowding generally
  63. 47Requirement not to permit new residents
  64. 48Notice requiring further information
  65. 49Information notice: supplementary provisions
  66. Chapter 2: Suitability for numbers in occupation
  67. 50Suitability notice
  68. 51Contents of suitability notice
  69. 52Occupancy requirements
  70. 53Statement of remedial work
  71. Chapter 3: Hazards
  72. 54Definition of hazard
  73. 55Hazard notice
  74. 56Contents of hazard notice: prohibitions
  75. 57Contents of hazard notices: other matters
  76. 58Works requirement
  77. 59Approvals as to use of premises
  78. Chapter 4: Further provision about notices under this Part
  79. 60Offences
  80. 61Further provision
  81. Part 5: Supplementary
  82. HMO register
  83. 62HMO register
  84. Code of practice
  85. 63Code of practice
  86. Fixed penalty as alternative to prosecution
  87. 64Fixed penalty: service of notice
  88. 65Fixed penalty: effect of notice
  89. 66Fixed penalty: power to alter amounts
  90. Appeals
  91. 67Appeals
  92. 68Council's statement of reasons for decisions which may be appealed
  93. 69Powers of court on appeal
  94. Information
  95. 70Powers to require information and documents: introductory
  96. 71Power to obtain information from persons connected to premises
  97. 72Power to require persons connected to premises to produce documents
  98. 73Power to obtain information from other persons
  99. 74Sharing of information between councils
  100. 75Failure to provide information or provision of false information
  101. 76Unauthorised disclosure of information obtained under section 73 or 74
  102. 77Court to inform council of convictions
  103. Powers of entry
  104. 78Powers of entry: without warrant
  105. 79Powers of entry: with warrant
  106. 80Powers of entry: supplementary provisions
  107. Other supplementary provision
  108. 81Application by person required to take action where consent withheld
  109. 82Obstructions etc
  110. 83Effect of moving from accommodation for works to be carried out
  111. Final provisions
  112. 84Fees
  113. 85Guidance
  114. 86Regulations and orders
  115. 87General notices
  116. 88Interpretation
  117. 89Consequential amendments and repeals
  118. 90Commencement
  119. 91Short title
  120. Schedule 1: Buildings or parts of buildings which are not houses in multiple occupation
  121. Buildings (or parts) which are not houses in multiple occupation
  122. 1Paragraph 1
  123. Buildings controlled or managed by public sector bodies etc.
  124. 2Paragraph 2
  125. Establishments regulated by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority
  126. 3Paragraph 3
  127. Buildings regulated otherwise than under this Act
  128. 4Paragraph 4
  129. Buildings occupied by students and managed by educational establishment
  130. 5Paragraph 5
  131. Buildings occupied by religious communities
  132. 6Paragraph 6
  133. Buildings occupied by members of the armed forces
  134. 7Paragraph 7
  135. Prisons, etc
  136. 8Paragraph 8
  137. Buildings occupied by owners
  138. 9Paragraph 9
  139. Schedule 2: Applications for HMO licences: requirements and procedure
  140. Part: CONTENT OF APPLICATION
  141. 1Paragraph 1
  142. Part: PUBLICATION OF APPLICATION
  143. Regulations regarding notice of application
  144. 2Paragraph 2
  145. Notice to statutory authorities
  146. 3Paragraph 3
  147. Representations in response to notices
  148. 4Paragraph 4
  149. Part: REFUSAL OF APPLICATION: BREACH OF PLANNING CONTROL
  150. 5Paragraph 5
  151. 6Paragraph 6
  152. 7Paragraph 7
  153. Part: CONSIDERATION OF APPLICATION AND HEARINGS
  154. 8Paragraph 8
  155. Notice of proposed decision
  156. 9Paragraph 9
  157. Hearings
  158. 10Paragraph 10
  159. Consideration of application
  160. 11Paragraph 11
  161. Time limit for determining application
  162. 12Paragraph 12
  163. Notice of determination
  164. 13Paragraph 13
  165. Part: FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION
  166. 14Paragraph 14
  167. Schedule 3: Further provision about notices that specify works
  168. Part 1: Provision applying to all notices that specify works
  169. Application of Part of Schedule
  170. 1Paragraph 1
  171. Listed buildings etc
  172. 2Paragraph 2
  173. Extension of date for completion of works
  174. 3Paragraph 3
  175. Part 2: Failure to carry out works required by rectification notice or hazard notice
  176. Application of Part of Schedule
  177. 4Paragraph 4
  178. Carrying out of work by council
  179. 5Paragraph 5
  180. Vacation of land or premises to allow work to be carried out
  181. 6Paragraph 6
  182. Warrants requiring occupant to vacate land or premises
  183. 7Paragraph 7
  184. Unlawful occupation etc
  185. 8Paragraph 8
  186. Recovery of expenses etc from owner
  187. 9Paragraph 9
  188. Recovery of expenses etc from other person benefiting from works
  189. 10Paragraph 10
  190. Schedule 4: Variation and revocation of HMO licences: procedure
  191. Notice of proposal to vary or revoke
  192. 1Paragraph 1
  193. Notice of proposal not to vary
  194. 2Paragraph 2
  195. Hearings
  196. 3Paragraph 3
  197. Consideration of application
  198. 4Paragraph 4
  199. Notice of determination
  200. 5Paragraph 5
  201. Effective date of decision
  202. 6Paragraph 6
  203. Schedule 5: Part 4 notices: further provision
  204. Part 1: Service and date of effect of notices
  205. Service of notices
  206. 1Paragraph 1
  207. Operation of notices
  208. 2Paragraph 2
  209. 3Paragraph 3
  210. Part 2: Suspension of effect of notices
  211. 4Paragraph 4
  212. 5Paragraph 5
  213. Part 3: Variation and revocation
  214. Variation
  215. 6Paragraph 6
  216. Revocation
  217. 7Paragraph 7
  218. Schedule 6: Definitions for the purpose of section 73
  219. Gangmasters
  220. 1Paragraph 1
  221. Utilities undertaker
  222. 2Paragraph 2
  223. Institution of further education
  224. 3Paragraph 3
  225. Higher education institution
  226. 4Paragraph 4
  227. Estate agency work
  228. 5Paragraph 5
  229. Lettings agency work
  230. 6Paragraph 6
  231. Housing benefit
  232. 7Paragraph 7
  233. Schedule 7: Consequential amendments
  234. Land Registration Act (Northern Ireland) 1970
  235. 1Paragraph 1
  236. Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977
  237. 2Paragraph 2
  238. Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981
  239. 3Paragraph 3
  240. Home Energy Conservation Act 1995
  241. 4Paragraph 4
  242. Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 2003
  243. 5Paragraph 5
  244. 6Paragraph 6
  245. Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
  246. 7Paragraph 7
  247. Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006
  248. 8Paragraph 8
  249. Schedule 8Repeals