Housing Act 1969

9 Conditions for approval of application for standard grant

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a local authority shall approve an application for a standard grant if they are satisfied, and shall not approve it unless they are satisfied that, when the works specified in the application have been carried out.—

(a) the dwelling will be provided with all the standard amenities for the exclusive use of its occupants; and

(b) the dwelling will be in good repair, having regard to its age, character and locality, and disregarding internal decorative repair, and will in all other respects be fit for human habitation;

and that the dwelling is likely to remain fit for human habitation and available for use as a dwelling for a period of not less than fifteen years.

(2) A local authority shall not approve an application for a standard grant if the works specified therein have been begun unless they are satisfied that there were good reasons for beginning the works before the application was approved.

(3) Where the works specified in the application include works for the provision of a fixed bath or shower elsewhere than in a bathroom the local authority are not required to approve the application but may do so if otherwise they would be required or authorised to do so under this section.

(4) Where, under the preceding provisions of this section, a local authority would be required to approve an application for a standard grant if satisfied that, after the works specified in the application have been carried out, the dwelling will be provided with all the standard amenities, then, if—

(a) the application contains a statement, and the local authority are satisfied, that it is not practicable at reasonable expense to provide the dwelling with all the standard amenities, and

(b) the local authority are satisfied that after the works specified in the application have been carried out the dwelling will be provided with the amenities included in the Table in Part I of Schedule 1 to this Act as items 5, 6 and 7 and that item 7 will conform to the provisions of paragraph 3 of Part II of that Schedule,

the local authority shall approve the application notwithstanding that the dwelling will not be provided with all the standard amenities, unless they are satisfied that the dwelling is or forms part of a house or building in respect of which they have power to serve a notice under section 15 of the [1961 c. 65.] Housing Act 1961 or that section as extended by section 21 of that Act (power to require execution of works).

(5) In considering for the purposes of the preceding subsection whether it would be practicable at reasonable expense to provide the dwelling with all the standard amenities, the local authority shall have regard to the estimated cost of the works which would be required for that purpose and the value which it is estimated the dwelling (or the building of which it forms part) would have if works to provide the dwelling with all the standard amenities were carried out.

(6) Where the works specified in the application are to be carried out in compliance with an improvement notice served, or undertaking accepted, under Part II of the [1964 c. 56.] Housing Act 1964 and comprise the provision of a fixed bath or shower, then.—

(a) if the fixed bath or shower is to be provided in a bathroom, the conditions stated in subsection (1) of this section shall, if otherwise satisfied, be deemed to be satisfied notwithstanding that the bath or shower is for the use of the occupants of more than one dwelling in a tenement block (within the meaning of Part II of that Act); and

(b) if the fixed bath or shower is to be provided elsewhere than in a bathroom, this section shall apply as if subsection (3) thereof were omitted.

(7) Subject to such general or special directions as may from time to time be given by the Minister, a local authority may approve an application for a standard grant notwithstanding that the conditions stated in subsection (1) of this section are not satisfied.

(8) An order under section 7(2) of this Act may vary the provisions of subsection (4) of this section.