http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/52/section/38Housing Act 1996An Act to make provision about housing, including provision about the social rented sector, houses in multiple occupation, landlord and tenant matters, the administration of housing benefit, the conduct of tenants, the allocation of housing accommodation by local housing authorities and homelessness; and for connected purposes.1996-07-24texttext/xmlenStatute Law Database2026-08-28Expert Participation2026-09-01 Part I <Substitution ChangeId="key-1ff90a6c4d15055fe305f218f8fbffe9-1508498764797" CommentaryRef="key-1ff90a6c4d15055fe305f218f8fbffe9">Social Rented Sector </Substitution><Substitution ChangeId="key-1ff90a6c4d15055fe305f218f8fbffe9-1508498764797" CommentaryRef="key-1ff90a6c4d15055fe305f218f8fbffe9"><Substitution ChangeId="key-f49d9603922a822edcb932996952335d-1527071273130" CommentaryRef="key-f49d9603922a822edcb932996952335d">regulated by the Welsh Ministers</Substitution></Substitution> Chapter IV General powers of the <Addition ChangeId="d29p2690" CommentaryRef="c13148801">Relevant Authority</Addition> Housing management Penalty for obstruction of person exercising power of entry.381It is an offence for a registered social landlord or any of its officers or employees to obstruct a person authorised under section 37 (powers of entry) to enter premises in the performance of anything which he is authorised by that section to do.2A person who commits such an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.3Proceedings for such an offence may be brought only by or with the consent of the Welsh Ministers or the Director of Public Prosecutions.S. 38 extended (16.9.1996) by S.I. 1996/2402, art. 3, Sch. para. 1Words in Pt. I substituted (1.11.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 140, Sch. 16 para. 82(1)(2) (with ss. 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art.5.Part I (ss. 1-64) amended (1.10.1996) by S.I. 1996/2325, art.3Pt. 1: The system of "registered social landlords" under this Part is replaced (8.9.2008 for specified purposes and 1.12.2008, 16.2.2009, 1.4.2009, 7.9.2009 and 1.4.2010 for further purposes) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), Pt. 2. This Part continues to apply in relation to Wales with certain provisions applied in relation to England and certain provisions preserved although they apply to England only, see s. 60 of the affecting Act; S.I. 2008/2358, art. 3; S.I. 2008/3068, art. 3 (with arts. 6-13); S.I. 2009/363, art. 2; S.I. 2009/803, art. 7; S.I. 2009/2096, art. 2(1); S.I. 2010/862, art. 2 (with Sch.)Pt. I title substituted (1.4.2010) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), ss. 61(1), 325(1); S.I. 2010/862, art. 2 (with Sch.)Words in Pt. I substituted (1.4.2010) by Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (c. 17), ss. 61(7), 325(1); S.I. 2010/862, art. 2 (with Sch.)Words in Pt. I title substituted (18.10.2011) by Housing (Wales) Measure 2011 (nawm 5), s. 90(2), Sch. para. 2; S.I. 2011/2475, arts. 1(2), 2(u)