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Housing and Regeneration Act 2008

Tenants’ rights and duties
Section 179 - Application of Housing Act 1996

525.This section provides that sections 11 to 15 of the 1996 Act apply in relation to disposals by registered providers with the modifications set out in subsection (3).

Section 180 – Right to Acquire

526.This section reproduces the effect of section 16(1) of the 1996 Act in relation land in England. It provides that an assured or secure tenant of a registered provider has the right to acquire if the provision of the dwelling was publicly funded and has remained in the social rented sector since that provision, and if the tenant satisfies certain qualifying conditions.

527.These qualifying conditions are equivalent to those for Right to Buy and are defined with reference to the Right to Buy legislation – Part V of the Housing Act 1985. “Publicly funded” and “remained in the social rented sector” are defined at section 181 and 182 respectively.

528.Subsection (3)(b) refers to a person who provided the dwelling by means of grant by the Housing Corporation under section 27A of the 1996 Act. This broadly replicates the effect of section 16A of the 1996 Act, which gives the right to acquire to tenants whose homes were provided under the Housing Corporations power to give grants to non-RSLs.

Section 181 – Interpretation: “publicly funded”

529.This section defines when a dwelling is “publicly funded”. This broadly replicates the effect of section 16(2) of the 1996 Act, and refers to grants under sections 18 or 27A of the 1996 Act, to homes funded through the disposals proceeds fund, or acquired since 1 April 1997 by a registered provider from a public sector landlord. In addition it refers to dwellings provided in fulfilment of a condition imposed by HCA.

Section 182 – Interpretation: “remained in the social rented sector”

530.This section defines when a dwelling has “remained in the social rented sector”. This broadly replicates the effect of sections 16(3) and 16A(4) of the 1996 Act. It provides that a dwelling has remained within the public sector if the freeholder has been, continuously, a registered provider, a registered social landlord or a public sector landlord and if each leaseholder was either a registered provider, a registered social landlord, public sector landlord or an individual holding otherwise than under a long tenancy. In addition, a dwelling provided under section 27A of the 1996 Act shall be treated as having remained in the social rented sector if it has been used exclusively for purposes permitted under the original grant or any other purposes agreed to by the Housing Corporation or the HCA.

Section 183 - Interpretation: other expressions

531.This section provides a number of definitions in relation to this group of sections. ‘Infrastructure’ in this section has the same meaning as in Part 1.

Section 184 – Right to acquire: supplemental

532.This section provides that section 17 of the 1996 Act applies in relation to a right to acquire under section 180 with certain modifications. Section 17 of the 1996 Act gives the Secretary of State power, by order, to specify the amount or rate of discount given on the exercise of the right to acquire, and to designate rural areas in which the right to acquire does not arise. It also applies the provisions of Part V of the Housing Act 1985 (Right to Buy) in relation to the right to acquire, subject to any exceptions or modifications made by regulations by the Secretary of State.

Section 185 – Right to acquire: consequential amendments

533.This section makes consequential amendments to sections 16, 16A, 20 and 21 of the 1996 Act, to restrict their application to properties in Wales.

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