Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996

Participation in group repair scheme E+W

64 Persons eligible to participate in group repair scheme. E+W

(1) A person is eligible to participate in a group repair scheme if at the date of the approval of the scheme—

(a) he has an owner’s interest in a dwelling or other premises comprised in a building to which the scheme relates, and

(b) as respects the dwelling or other premises in which he has an owner’s interest he either—

(i) is able to give possession of any part of the building to which scheme works are proposed to be carried out, or

(ii) has the consent of the occupier of that part to the carrying out of those works.

In the case of a scheme not submitted for specific approval, the date of approval shall be taken to be the date on which the authority decide that the scheme fulfils the criteria for general approval.

(2) A person eligible to participate in a group repair scheme may participate as an assisted participant—

(a) if the owner’s interest which he has is an interest in a dwelling and he gives an owner-occupation certificate or a certificate of intended letting, or

(b) if the owner’s interest which he has is an interest in a house in multiple occupation and he gives a certificate of future occupation.

This is subject to the exceptions specified in subsection (7) or by order under that subsection.

(3) An “owner-occupation certificate” certifies that the person concerned—

(a) has an owner’s interest in the dwelling, and

(b) intends that throughout the protected period he, or a member of his family, will live in the dwelling, as his (or that member’s) only or main residence.

(4) A “certificate of intended letting” certifies that the person concerned—

(a) has an owner’s interest in the dwelling, and

(b) intends that throughout the protected period the dwelling will be let or available for letting as a residence and not for a holiday to someone other than a member of his family.

In paragraph (b) “letting” does not include a letting on a long tenancy.

(5) In subsection (4) references to letting include the grant of a licence to occupy premises.

References in this Chapter to tenants, and other expressions relating to tenancies, in the context of a certificate of intended letting, shall be construed accordingly.

(6) A “certificate of future occupation” certifies that the person concerned—

(a) has an owner’s interest in the house, and

(b) intends that throughout the protected period the house or a part of it (specified in the certificate) 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.

In paragraph (b) “residential occupation” does not include occupation for a holiday, and “tenancies” does not include a long tenancy.

(7) The following may not participate in a group repair scheme as an assisted participant—

(a) a local authority;

(b) a new town corporation;

(c) the Development Board for Rural Wales;

(d) a health authority, special health authority or NHS trust;

(e) a police authority established under section 3 of the M1 Police Act 1964;

(f) a housing action trust;

(g) a registered social landlord;

(h) any other authority, body or other person excluded by order of the Secretary of State.

(8) An order under subsection (7)(h) may proceed wholly or in part by reference to the provisions relating to entitlement to housing benefit, or any other form of assistance, as they have effect from time to time.

(9) A person eligible to participate in a group repair scheme who is unable to participate as an assisted participant may participate as an unassisted participant.

Commencement Information

I1 S. 64 wholly in force; s. 64 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 150; s. 64 in force for certain purposes at 11.9.1996 by S.I. 1996/2352, art. 2(2); s. 64 in force insofar as not already in force at 17.12.1996 by S.I. 1996/2842, art. 3

Marginal Citations

M1 1964 c. 48.

Valid from 17/12/1996

65 Scheme consent and restriction on works. E+W

(1) The persons who are eligible to participate in a group repair scheme do so by signifying consent (“scheme consent”), in accordance with the terms of the scheme, to the proposals to carry out the works specified in the scheme.

(2) No scheme works shall be carried out to a part of a building which consists of premises in respect of which no person eligible to participate has signified scheme consent, except as mentioned below.

(3) The restriction in subsection (2) does not apply to works carried out to premises in respect of which there is no person (or no ascertainable person) eligible to participate in the scheme.

(4) The restriction in subsection (2) does not apply to works—

(a) which are carried out to premises in respect of which the person eligible to participate consents to their being carried out but has not signified scheme consent (and, accordingly, is not liable to contribute), and

(b) which it is necessary to carry out in order satisfactorily to carry out any works specified in the scheme to another part of the same building in respect of which a person eligible to participate has signified scheme consent.

Valid from 17/12/1996

66 Certificate of completion date. E+W

(1) When the works specified in a group repair scheme are completed, the local housing authority shall send to each assisted participant a certificate specifying the date on which the works were completed to the authority’s satisfaction.

(2) In this Chapter that date is referred to as “the completion date”.

67 Contributions by participants. E+W

(1) The participants in a group repair scheme are liable to contribute to the cost, as notified to them under the scheme, of scheme works relating to the premises in which they have an interest, at a rate determined in accordance with this section.

(2) The cost of the works shall be apportioned between the several buildings and premises in such way as may be agreed between the participants with owner’s interests in them or, in default of agreement, equally.

(3) In the case of an unassisted participant, the rate of contribution is 100 per cent.

(4) In the case of an assisted participant whose owner’s interest is in premises other than a dwelling or house in multiple occupation, the rate of contribution is—

(a) 25 per cent. where the building is in a renewal area, and

(b) 50 per cent. in any other case.

The Secretary of State may by order amend paragraph (a) or (b) so as to specify a different percentage.

(5) In the case of any other assisted participant, the rate of contribution is a percentage determined by the local housing authority not exceeding that which would apply under subsection (4).

(6) In making their determination the authority shall have regard to the way in which—

(a) section 30 (means-testing in case of application by owner-occupier or tenant), or

(b) section 31 (determination of amount of grant in case of landlord’s application),

would apply if he were an applicant for a renovation grant or, as the case may require, an HMO grant.

(7) They shall also have regard to any guidance given by the Secretary of State for the purposes of this section.

Different guidance may be given for different cases, different descriptions of cases and different areas and, in particular, with respect to different local housing authorities or descriptions of authority (including a description framed by reference to authorities in a particular area).

Commencement Information

I2 S. 67 wholly in force; s. 67 not in force at Royal Assent see s. 150; s. 67 in force for certain purposes at 11.9.1996 by S.I. 1996/2352, art. 2(2); s. 67 in force insofar as not already in force at 17.12.1996 by S.I. 1996/2842, art. 3