The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Conditions relating to HMO grant

60.—(1) This Article applies where an application for an HMO grant has been approved by the Executive; and in the following provisions of this Article “the house” means the house to which the eligible works relate.

(2) It is a condition of the grant that, throughout the initial period, the house will be residentially occupied or available for residential occupation, under tenancies or licences, by persons who are not connected with the owner for the time being of the house.

(3) The references in paragraph (2) to residential occupation do not include occupation for a holiday; and paragraph (3) of Article 57 applies for the purposes of paragraph (2), substituting a reference to a house for any reference to a dwelling.

(4) It is also a condition of the grant—

(a) that if, at any time within the initial period, the Executive serves notice on the owner of the house requiring him to do so, he will, within the period of 21 days beginning on the date on which the notice was served, furnish to the Executive a statement showing how the condition in paragraph (2) is being fulfilled; and

(b) that, if required to do so by the owner of the house, any tenant or licensee in residential occupation of the house will furnish the owner with such information as he may reasonably require to enable him to comply with a notice served under sub-paragraph (a).

(5) In any case where—

(a) there is, with respect to the house, a breach of a condition under paragraph (2) or (4), or

(b) at any time within the initial period the Executive has given a direction under Article 85 (power to limit number of occupants of house) with respect to the house and that direction has not been revoked or varied under that Article,

the Executive may demand that the owner for the time being of the house pay a sum equal to the amount of the grant, together with compound interest on that sum as from the certified date, calculated at such reasonable rate as the Executive may determine and with yearly rests; but the Executive may determine not to make such a demand or may demand a lesser amount.

(6) It is also a condition of the grant that, if an owner makes a relevant disposal of the house (other than an exempt disposal) within the initial period, he shall pay to the Executive on demand the amount of the grant.

(7) A condition under any of paragraphs (2), (4) and (6) (in the following provisions of this Article referred to as “an HMO condition”)—

(a) shall be included among the matters required to be registered in the Statutory Charges Register; and

(b) shall, subject to paragraph (9) and Article 63, remain in force with respect to the house for a period of 5 years from the certified date.

(8) So long as an HMO condition remains in force with respect to a house it is binding on any person, other than a registered housing association, who is for the time being an owner of the house.

(9) On satisfaction of the liability arising from a demand under pragraph (5) or (6), any HMO condition shall cease to be in force with respect to the house.

(10) The expressions “relevant disposal” and “exempt disposal” have the meanings assigned by Article 62.