Housing Act 1957

53 Temporary occupation of houses subject to existing clearance orders

(1) if it appears to a local authority that any house in respect of which a clearance order had been made before the thirtieth day of August, nineteen hundred and fifty-four, by that authority is capable of providing accommodation of a standard which is adequate for the time being, they may grant to the person who, but for the said order, would be entitled to authorise the occupation of the house a licence permitting the occupation of the house during such period as may be specified in the licence by such number of persons and on such terms as to the rent, repairs and other conditions on which the house may be occupied as may be so specified.

(2) While a licence granted under this section is in force in respect of a house, section forty-five of this Act shall not apply to it.

(3) Where a licence in force under this section specifies a maximum rent in respect of a house, then, notwithstanding any order or direction for the time being in force under section seven of the Agricultural Wages Act, 1948, the value at which the house may be reckoned for the purposes of a minimum rate of wages fixed under that Act shall not exceed the maximum rent so specified.

(4) Any licence granted by a local authority under this section may be revoked by that authority at any time, and shall be so revoked if it appears to the authority that the house is no longer capable of providing such accommodation as aforesaid; and every such licence shall, unless previously revoked, cease to have effect on the thirtieth day of August, nineteen hundred and fifty-seven, or on such later date as the Minister may in any particular case allow in pursuance of an application made by the local authority before the said date in the year nineteen hundred and fifty-seven.

(5) An order under section forty-three of this Act authorising the compulsory purchase by the local authority of any house in respect of which a licence has been granted under this section may, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (4) of that section, be submitted to the Minister at any time not later than six months after his approval of proposals submitted by the local authority under subsection (1) of section one of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, for dealing with unfit houses; and for the purposes of this subsection any time during which the licence was in force in respect of the house shall be disregarded.

(6) Any licence issued under Regulation 68A or 68AA of the Defence (General) Regulations, 1939, and in force immediately before the commencement of this Act in respect of a house subject to a clearance order shall continue in force and have effect as if granted under this section and may be revoked thereunder accordingly.