Housing Act 1985

404 Provisions with respect to registration.

(1) Subject to the following provisions of this section, a local housing authority, on receiving from a person an application in writing—

(a) for registration as a keeper of a common lodging house, or

(b) for the renewal of his registration,

shall register the applicant in respect of the common lodging house named in the application, or renew his registration in respect of it, and issue to him a certificate of registration or renewal

(2) The authority shall not register an applicant until an officer of the authority has inspected the premises named in the application and has made a report on them.

(3) The authority may refuse to register, or renew the registration of, an applicant if they are satisfied that—

(a) he, or a person employed or proposed to be employed by him at the common lodging house, as a deputy or otherwise, is not a fit person, whether by reason of his age or otherwise, to keep or to be employed at a common lodging house; or

(b) the premises are not suitable for use as a common lodging house or are not, as regards sanitation and water supply and in other respects, including means of escape in case of fire, suitably equipped for such use; or

(c) the use of the premises as a common lodging house is likely to occasion inconvenience or annoyance to persons residing in the neighbourhood.

(4) The registration of a person as a keeper of a common lodging house remains in force for such period, not exceeding 13 months, as may be fixed by the authority, but may be renewed by them for a period not exceeding 13 months at any one time.

(5) If a local housing authority refuse to grant or renew registration, they shall, if required by the applicant, give him a statement in writing of the grounds on which his application is refused.

(6) A local housing authority shall at any time, on the application of a person registered as the keeper of a common lodging house—

(a) remove from the register the name of any person entered in it as a deputy of the keeper, or

(b) insert the name of any other person (being a person approved by the authority) whom the keeper proposes to employ as a deputy,

and shall make any consequential alterations in the certificate of registration.