# Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1981, Article 60: Power to take possession of unoccupied houses


(1) Subject to this Article, where the Executive is satisfied—
(a) that a house is unoccupied,
(b) that the owner of the house is unable or unwilling to occupy or to let the house, and
(c) that the house is suitable to be used for housing purposes or is reasonably capable of being so rendered,
the Executive may enter and take possession of the house for the purpose of providing housing accommodation and may carry out such works of repair and improvement as it may consider necessary or desirable to render the house suitable for housing purposes.
(2) Immediately after exercising its powers under paragraph (1) the Executive shall serve upon the owner of the possessed house a notice stating—
(a) that it has taken possession of the house,
(b) the date upon which such possession was taken, and
(c) the name and address of an officer of the Executive to whom any inquiries and representations concerning the action taken in exercise of the Executive's functions under this Article may be made,
and, without prejudice to section 24(2) of the Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954 1954 c.33, the Executive shall affix a copy of the notice to the possessed house.
(3) The Executive, unless—
(a) it determines not to continue in possession of the house, or
(b) the owner agrees to dispose of the house to it,
shall, in exercise of its powers under Article 87, apply to the Department within a period of one month from the date of service of a notice under paragraph (2) for an order vesting the house in the Executive.
(4) Where the Executive applies to the Department under paragraph (3), it shall include in the notice of application for a vesting order the information specified in paragraph (2).
(5) Where the Department refuses to make a vesting order the Executive shall forthwith serve upon the owner a notice stating the date, being not less than 14 days from the date of service of the notice, upon which it will give up possession of the house.
(6) Where the Executive is satisfied that the owner, or a person with the agreement of the owner, intends within a reasonable period from the date of service of a notice under paragraph (2) to occupy the house or to commence works of repair or improvement upon it, the Executive shall withdraw forthwith any application for an order vesting the house in it and shall serve upon the owner a notice stating a date within that period upon which it will give up possession of the house.

---
Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1981/156/article/60 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/housing-northern-ireland-order-1981/article-60
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.