1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Housing Replacement Grant Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 and shall come into operation on 1st December 2003.
(2) In these Regulations –
“building warranty agreement” means an insurance backed protection scheme which provides for insolvency protection during construction and on completion of the dwelling a minimum 10-year guarantee period for major structural defects;
“replacement grant” means a grant payable under Article 73 of the 1992 Order;
“rural area” means an area identified by the Executive and approved by the Department;
“the 1992 Order” means the Housing (Northern Ireland) Order 1992.
2.—(1) These regulations shall apply to any dwelling house which is unfit for human habitation and which is in a rural area.
(2) These regulations shall not have effect in relation to an application for a replacement grant made before 1st December 2003.
3. Articles 38, 40, 41, 56, 62 and 63 of the 1992 Order shall apply to replacement grants as if the references in those provisions to renovation grant were references to replacement grant without any modifications.
4. The provisions of the 1992 Order specified in Column 1 of the Schedule shall apply to replacement grants as if the references in those provisions to renovation grant were references to replacement grant subject to the modification specified in Column 2 of that Schedule.
5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Housing (Replacement Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992(1) and the Housing (Replacement Grant) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995(2) are hereby revoked.
(2) The Housing (Replacement Grant) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and the Housing (Replacement Grant) (Amendment) Regulations 1995 shall continue to apply to an application for replacement grant made before 1st December 2003.
Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department for Social Development on 3rd November 2003.
L.S.
D. M. Crothers
A senior officer of the
Department for Social Development