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Housing Act 1985
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Changes over time for: Section 58
Alternative versions:
- 01/02/1991- Amendment
- Stop date 20/01/1997- Amendment
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This version of this provision no longer has effect.
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No longer has effect, generally means that this provision has been repealed. Take a look at the annotations at the end of the provision for further information.
Changes to legislation:
Housing Act 1985, Section 58 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 28 January 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
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Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 58:
- Act savings and transitional provisions for amendments by S.I. 2022/1166 by S.I. 2022/1172 Regulations
- s. 81A-81D and cross-heading inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 4 (This provision is amended by 2021 c. 7, ss. 79(3), 90(6); S.I 2021/1038, reg. 3(c))
- s. 81B(1)(b) words inserted by 2018 c. 11 s. 1(3)
- s. 81B(2A)-(2C) inserted by 2018 c. 11 s. 1(2)
- s. 81B(2C)(b) words omitted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 11
- s. 82(A1)(A2) inserted by 2016 c. 22 s. 119(2)(a)
- s. 82A(4A)(4B) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 7(2)
- s. 86(1A)(1B) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 10(3)
- s. 86(1C) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 2
- s. 86A-86F and cross-headings inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 11
- s. 86G s. 86A renumbered as s. 86G by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 3(1)(a)
- s. 86G(8) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 3(2)
- s. 88(1)(ba) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 4
- s. 89(2A)-(2D) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 5(3)
- s. 97(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 12(3)
- s. 99A(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 13(3)
- s. 115(3)-(7) inserted by 2024 c. 22 Sch. 9 para. 4(a)(ii)
- s. 115B 115C inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 15
- s. 115B 115C inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 15
- s. 554(3)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 15(b)
- s. 582(6)(aa)-(ac) substituted for s. 582(6)(a) by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(2)(b)
- Sch. 1 para. 1ZA and cross-heading inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 17(2)
- Sch. 2 Pt. 4 para. 1(c) words omitted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 16
- Sch. 5A para. 3(3)(aa) inserted by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(3)(b)(ii)
- Sch. 5A para. 3(6A) inserted by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(3)(d)
- specified provision(s) savings for amendments by 2018 anaw 1, s. 6, Sch. 6 by S.I. 2019/110 reg. 5
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act savings and transitional provisions for amendments by S.I. 2022/1166 by S.I. 2022/1172 Regulations
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 81A-81D and cross-heading inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 4 (This provision is amended by 2021 c. 7, ss. 79(3), 90(6); S.I 2021/1038, reg. 3(c))
- s. 81B(1)(b) words inserted by 2018 c. 11 s. 1(3)
- s. 81B(2A)-(2C) inserted by 2018 c. 11 s. 1(2)
- s. 81B(2C)(b) words omitted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 11
- s. 82(A1)(A2) inserted by 2016 c. 22 s. 119(2)(a)
- s. 82A(4A)(4B) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 7(2)
- s. 86(1A)(1B) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 10(3)
- s. 86(1C) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 2
- s. 86A-86F and cross-headings inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 11
- s. 86G s. 86A renumbered as s. 86G by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 3(1)(a)
- s. 86G(8) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 3(2)
- s. 88(1)(ba) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 4
- s. 89(2A)-(2D) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 5(3)
- s. 97(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 12(3)
- s. 99A(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 13(3)
- s. 115(3)-(7) inserted by 2024 c. 22 Sch. 9 para. 4(a)(ii)
- s. 115B 115C inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 15
- s. 115B 115C inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 15
- s. 554(3)(ca) inserted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 15(b)
- s. 582(6)(aa)-(ac) substituted for s. 582(6)(a) by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(2)(b)
- Sch. 1 para. 1ZA and cross-heading inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 17(2)
- Sch. 2 Pt. 4 para. 1(c) words omitted by 2025 c. 26 Sch. 2 para. 16
- Sch. 5A para. 3(3)(aa) inserted by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(3)(b)(ii)
- Sch. 5A para. 3(6A) inserted by 2023 c. 55 Sch. 18 para. 4(3)(d)
58 Homelessness and threatened homelessness.E+W
(1)A person is homeless if he has no accommodation in England, Wales or Scotland.
(2)A person shall be treated as having no accommodation if there is no accommodation which he, together with any other person who normally resides with him as a member of his family or in circumstances in which it is reasonable for that person to reside with him—
(a)is entitled to occupy by virtue of an interest in it or by virtue of an order of a court, or
(b)has an express or implied licence to occupy, or Scotland has a right or permission or an implied right or permission to occupy, or
(c)occupies as a residence by virtue of any enactment or rule of law giving him the right to remain in occupation or restricting the right of another person to recover possession.
[F2(2A)A person shall not be treated as having accommodation unless it is accommodation which it would be reasonable for him to continue to occupy.
(2B)Regard may be had, in determining whether it would be reasonable for a person to continue to occupy accommodation, to the general circumstances prevailing in relation to housing in the district of the local housing authority to whom he has applied for accommodation or for assistance in obtaining accommodation.]
(3)A person is also homeless if he has accommodation but—
(a)he cannot secure entry to it, or
(b)it is probable that occupation of it will lead to violence from some other person residing in it or to threats of violence from some other person residing in it and likely to carry out the threats, or
(c)it consists of a movable structure, vehicle or vessel designed or adapted for human habitation and there is no place where he is entitled or permitted both to place it and to reside in it.
(4)A person is threatened with homelessness if it is likely that he will become homeless within 28 days.
Textual Amendments
F1Pt. III (ss. 58-78) repealed (20.1.1997) by 1996 c. 52, s. 227, Sch. 19 Pt. VIII; S.I. 1996/2959, art. 2 (subject to transitional provision in Sch. para. 1)
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