Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act 1997

11 Information from landlords and agents

After section 126 of the [1992 c. 5.] Social Security Administration Act 1992 insert—

“Landlords and agents

126A Power to require information from landlords and agents

(1) Regulations shall provide that where a claim for housing benefit in respect of a dwelling is made to an authority and the circumstances are such as are prescribed—

(a) the authority; or

(b) a person authorised to exercise any function of the authority relating to housing benefit,

may require any appropriate person to supply information of a prescribed description to the authority or other person.

(2) Subject to subsection (4) below, for the purposes of subsection (1) above a person is an appropriate person in relation to a dwelling if he is—

(a) a person to whom anyone is, or claims to be, liable to make relevant payments;

(b) a person to whom, or at whose direction, a person within paragraph (a) above has agreed to make payments in consequence of being entitled to receive relevant payments; or

(c) a person acting on behalf of a person within paragraph (a) or (b) above in connection with any aspect of the management of the dwelling.

(3) In subsection (2) above “relevant payments”, in relation to a dwelling, means payments in respect of the dwelling which are of a description in relation to which housing benefit may be paid.

(4) Regulations may provide that any prescribed person, or any person of a prescribed description, is not an appropriate person for the purposes of subsection (1) above.

(5) The descriptions of information which may be prescribed for the purposes of subsection (1) above include, in particular, any description of information relating to, or to any interest in or other connection with, dwellings and other property situated anywhere in the United Kingdom.

(6) Information shall be supplied under subsection (1) above in such manner and form, and at such time and in accordance with such other requirements, as may be prescribed.

(7) Information supplied to an authority or other person under subsection (1) above may be used by the authority or other person only in the exercise of any function relating to housing benefit or council tax benefit.

(8) The provisions of sections 122D and 122E above apply in relation to any information supplied under subsection (1) above which is not benefit administration information (within the meaning of those provisions) as if it were.”