Housing Act 1957

81 Entries in rent books, information and certificates with respect to the permitted number

(1) Every rent book or similar document used in relation to a dwelling-house by or on behalf of the landlord thereof shall contain a summary in the prescribed form of the provisions of sections seventy-seven, seventy-eight and eighty of this Act and a statement of the permitted number of persons in relation to the house, and if any such book or document not containing such summary and statement as aforesaid is used by or on behalf of the landlord he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.

An occupier of a dwelling-house who is required by an officer of the local authority duly authorised in that behalf to produce for inspection by the authority any rent book or similar document which is being used in relation to the house and is in the custody of the occupier or under his control shall, on being so required as aforesaid or within seven days thereafter, produce any such book or document to the officer or at the offices of the authority, and if he fails so to do he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two pounds.

(2) It shall be the duty of the local authority, upon the application of the landlord, or of the occupier, of a dwellinghouse, to inform the applicant in writing of the number of persons constituting the permitted number in relation to the house, and a statement inserted in a rent book or similar document under the foregoing subsection shall be deemed to .be a sufficient and correct statement if it agrees with information given under this subsection.

(3) The Minister may prescribe the manner in which the floor area of a room is to be ascertained for the purposes of the Sixth Schedule to this Act, and the regulations may provide for the exclusion from computation, or for the bringing into computation at a reduced figure, of floor space in any part of a room which is of less than a specified height not exceeding eight feet.

(4) A certificate of the local authority stating the number and floor areas of the rooms in a dwelling-house, and that the floor areas thereof have been ascertained in the prescribed manner, shall, for the purposes of any legal proceedings, be prima facie evidence of the facts stated therein.