{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1985/section-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1985/section-4.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1985/68",
  "legislation_title": "Housing Act 1985",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1985",
  "path": "section/4",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Other descriptions of authority.",
  "text": "(1) In this Act—\n(a) “housing authority” means a local housing authority or a new town corporation;\n(b) “new town corporation” means a development corporation or the new towns residuary body;\n(c) “development corporation” means a development corporation established by an order made, or having effect as if made, under the New Towns Act 1981;\n(d) “urban development corporation” means an urban development corporation established under Part XVI of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980;\n(e) “local authority” means a county, county borough, district or London borough council, the Common Council of the City of London or the Council of the Isles of Scilly , in sections 43, 44 and 232 includes the Broads Authority, in sections 438, 441, 442, 443 and 458 includes the Broads Authority , a joint authority established by Part 4 of the Local Government Act 1985, an economic prosperity board, a combined authority, a combined county authority, a fire and rescue authority created by an order under section 4A of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 ... and the London Fire Commissioner, and in sections 45(2)(b), 50(2), 51(6), 80(1), 157(1), 171(2), . . ., 573(1), paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 1, grounds 7 and 12 in Schedule 2, ground 5 in Schedule 3, paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 4, paragraph 5(1)(b) of Schedule 5 and Schedule 16 includes . . . the Broads Authority, a police and crime commissioner Act 1996,. . . . . . . . . . . . , a joint authority established by Part 4 of the Local Government Act 1985, an economic prosperity board, a combined authority , a fire and rescue authority created by an order under section 4A of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 , ... and the London Fire Commissioner;\n(f) “ housing action trust ” means a housing action trust established under Part III of the Housing Act 1988;\n(g) “ new towns residuary body ” means—\n(i) in relation to England, the Homes and Communities Agency so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to it as mentioned in section 52(1)(a) to (d) of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008or the Greater London Authority so far as exercising its new towns and urban development functions; and\n(ii) in relation to Wales, the Welsh Ministers so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to them as mentioned in section 36(1)(a) (i) to (iii) of the New Towns Act 1981.\n(2) In this section—\n“ combined authority ” means a combined authority established under section 103 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009;\n“combined county authority” means a combined county authority established under section 9(1) of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023;\n“ economic prosperity board ” means an economic prosperity board established under section 88 of that Act;\n...",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 4 renumbered (1.4.2008) as s. 4(1) by virtue of Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 209, 245, Sch. 13 para. 41(1); S.I. 2008/917, art. 2(o)(p)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(a) substituted (1.10.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 129, Sch. 15 para. 7 (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art. 4"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(b) substituted (1.12.2008) by The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/3002), arts. 1(2)(3), 4, Sch. 1 para. 3(a) (with Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/3068, arts. 1(2), 2(1)(b) (with arts. 6-13)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted (1.4.1996) by 1994 c. 19. s. 22(2), Sch. 8 para. 5(3) (with ss. 54(5)(7), 55(5), Sch. 17 paras. 22(1), 23(2)); S.I. 1996/396, art. 3, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted by Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 (c. 4, SIF 81:1), s. 21, Sch. 6 para. 25(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted (1.10.1994 for certain purposes only and 1.4.1995 otherwise) by 1994 c. 29, s. 43, Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 58(a)(c); S.I. 1994/2025, art. 6; S.I. 1994/3262, art. 4, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) substituted (1.4.2008) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 209, 245, Sch. 13 para. 41(2)(a); S.I. 2008/917, art. 2(o)(p)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted (26.12.2023) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(2)(c), Sch. 4 para. 84(2) (with s. 247)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) omitted (26.5.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(7), Sch. 13 para. 6(19)(a); S.I. 2015/994, art. 6(g)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) substituted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 1.4.2018 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 2 para. 73; S.I. 2018/227, reg. 4(c)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) omitted (1.10.1994 for certain purposes only and 1.4.1995 otherwise) by virtue of 1994 c. 29, s. 43, Sch. 4 Pt. II para. 58(b); S.I. 1994/2025, art. 6; S.I. 1994/3262, art. 4, Sch.; and repealed (1.4.1995) by 1994 c. 29, s. 93, Sch. 9 Pt. I; S.I. 1994/3262, art. 4, Sch."
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) repealed by Education Reform Act 1988 (c. 40, SIF 41:1), ss. 231(7), 235(6), 237(2), Sch. 13 Pt. I"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted by Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988 (c. 4, SIF 81:1), s. 21, Sch. 6 para. 25(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F14",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) substituted (22.11.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 157(1), Sch. 16 para. 168; S.I. 2012/2892, art. 2(i)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F15",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) repealed (1.4.2002) by 2001 c. 16, ss. 128, 137, Sch. 6 Pt. 3 para. 67, Sch. 7 Pt. 5; S.I. 2002/344, art. 3(k)(m) (with transitional provisions in art. 4)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F16",
      "text": "Word in s. 4(1)(e) repealed (3.7.2000) by 1999 c. 29, s. 423, Sch. 34 Pt. VIII (with Sch. 12 para. 9(1)); S.I. 2000/1094, art. 4(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F17",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) substituted (1.4.2008) by Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 (c. 28), ss. 209, 245, Sch. 13 para. 41(2)(b); S.I. 2008/917, art. 2(o)(p)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F18",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted (17.12.2009) by Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20), ss. 119, 146(3), 148(6), Sch. 6 para. 68(2); S.I. 2009/3318, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F19",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(e) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 3.4.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 1 para. 49; S.I. 2017/399, reg. 2, Sch. para. 38"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F20",
      "text": "S. 4(1)(f) added by Housing Act 1988 (c. 50, SIF 61), s. 62(7)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F21",
      "text": "S. 4(1)(g) inserted (1.12.2008) by The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/3002), arts. 1(2)(3), 4, Sch. 1 para. 3(b) (with Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/3068, arts. 1(2), 2(1)(b) (with arts. 6-13)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F22",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(1)(g)(i) inserted (1.4.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(2), Sch. 19 para. 11; S.I. 2012/628, art. 6(i) (with arts. 9, 11, 14, 15, 17)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F23",
      "text": "S. 4(2) substituted (17.12.2009) by Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (c. 20), ss. 119, 146(3), 148(6), Sch. 6 para. 68(3); S.I. 2009/3318, art. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F24",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(2) inserted (26.12.2023) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), s. 255(2)(c), Sch. 4 para. 84(3) (with s. 247)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F25",
      "text": "Words in s. 4(2) omitted (26.5.2015) by virtue of Deregulation Act 2015 (c. 20), s. 115(7), Sch. 13 para. 6(19)(b); S.I. 2015/994, art. 6(g)"
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M1",
      "text": "1981 c. 64."
    },
    {
      "type": "M",
      "label": "M2",
      "text": "1980 c. 65."
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 4(e) extended by S.I. 1985/1884, art. 10, Sch. 3 para. 4(x)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/68/section/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:59:47.243826+00:00",
    "licence": "OGL-UK-3.0",
    "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."
  }
}