The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020

Hostels and refuges

5.—(1) A tenancy that grants a right of occupation in a hostel or refuge.

(2) In this paragraph “hostel” means a building which satisfies the following two conditions.

(3) The first condition is that the building is used for providing to persons generally, or to a class of persons—

(a) residential accommodation otherwise than in separate and self-contained premises; and

(b) board or facilities for the preparation of food adequate to the needs of those persons (or both).

(4) The second condition is that either of the following applies in relation to the building—

(a) it is managed by a private registered provider of social housing;

(b) it is not operated on a commercial basis and its costs of operation are provided whole or in part by a government department or agency, or by a local authority; or

(c) it is managed by a voluntary organisation or charity.

(5) In this paragraph “refuge” means a building which satisfies the second condition in sub-paragraph (4) and is used wholly or mainly for providing accommodation to persons who have been subject to any incident, or pattern of incidents, of —

(a) controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour;

(b) physical violence;

(c) abuse of any other description (whether physical or mental in nature); or

(d) threats of any such violence or abuse.

(6) In this paragraph “government department” includes any body or authority exercising statutory functions on behalf of the Crown.

(7) In this paragraph “voluntary organisation” means a body, other than a public or local authority, whose activities are not carried on for profit.