The Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992

Group repair schemes and persons eligible to participate

65.—(1) In accordance with a scheme under this Article prepared by the Executive and approved by the Department, the Executive may, with the consent of the persons participating in the scheme, enter into agreements to secure the carrying out of such external works to qualifying buildings to which the scheme relates as will ensure that, on completion of the works, the exterior of those buildings will be in reasonable repair; and in this Chapter such a scheme is referred to as a “group repair scheme”.

(2) The approval of the Department under paragraph (1) may be given either to a specific scheme or generally to schemes which fulfil such criteria as the Department may specify; and any such approval may be made conditional upon compliance with requirements specified by the Department.

(3) Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5), every person who, at the date of the approval of the scheme, has an owner’s interest in a dwelling or other premises comprised in a building to which a group repair scheme relates and who fulfils the conditions in paragraph (6) is eligible to participate in the scheme as an assisted participant.

(4) A registered housing association (within the meaning of Article 3) which has an owner’s interest in a dwelling or other premises comprised in a building to which a group repair scheme relates is eligible to participate in the scheme, but only as an unassisted participant.

(5) The Executive may participate in a group repair scheme by including in the scheme a dwelling or other premises comprised in a building in which it has an owner’s interest.

(6) The conditions referred to in paragraph (3) are—

(a) that, as respects the dwelling or other premises in which he has an owner’s interest, the person concerned either is able to give possession of any part of the building to which external works are proposed to be carried out or has the consent of the occupier of that part to the carrying out of those works; and

(b) that, if the owner’s interest which he has is an interest in a dwelling and this paragraph is not excluded by paragraph (7), he gives a certificate of future occupation which falls within paragraph (2) or (4) of Article 44; and

(c) that, if the owner’s interest which the person concerned has is an interest in a house in multiple occupation and that person is not a charity or the trustee of a charity, he gives a certificate under Article 44(7).

(7) Paragraph (6)(b) does not apply if—

(a) the person concerned is a charity or the trustee of a charity; or

(b) the person concerned is a religious denomination or body or the trustee of such a denomination or body, acting on its behalf, and the dwelling is the residence of a minister of religion.

(8) If the Department so directs in the case of any scheme or any description of scheme, such of the provisions of this Article and Articles 66 to 68 as are specified in the direction shall not apply in relation to that scheme or, as the case may be, in relation to a scheme of that description.

(9) The power to give directions under paragraph (8) may be exercised so as to make different provision for different cases, different descriptions of cases and different areas.