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47
THE HOUSING (MANAGEMENT OF HOUSES IN MULTIPLE
OCCUPATION) REGULATIONS 1962.
These Regulations, made by the Minister of Housing and Local Government
under Section 13 of the Housing Act, 1961, came into operation on the 22nd May,
1962, and provide a code of management which a local authority may apply, by
order under section 12 of the Act, to any house wholly or partly let in
lodgings or occupied by members of more than one family, which is in an
unsatisfactory condition in consequence of defective management. In the case
of a building which comprises separate dwellings (e.g. a tenement building or a
block of flats) the regulations may be applied, in the circumstances mentioned
in section 21 of the Act, to the building as a whole instead of to individual
dwellings therein.
Under these Regulations "Manager" has the meaning given by section 13(2)
of the Act to the person managing a house, i.e. principally an owner or
lessee who received rents or other payments from tenants or lodgers
therein, but including also any agent or trustee through whom such
payments are received.
Managers of premises to which the regulations apply are required to ensure
the good order, repair and cleanliness, as appropriate, of the following
means of water supply and drainage (regulation 4); lighting and heating
installations (regulation 5); rooms, and installations of certain kinds,
in common use (regulation 6); other parts of the premises (mainly in common
use), such as halls, staircases, passage-ways, etc. (regulation 7); windows
and other means of ventilation (regulation 9); means of escape from fire
(regulation 10); common out-buildings, yards, gardens etc. (regulation 11).
Managers are also required to ensure that refuse is satisfactorily dealt with
(regulation 12) and that reasonable precautions are taken to protect residents
from injury as a result of structural conditions in the premises (regulation 13).
In addition, managers have certain obligations under regulation 8 with respect
to parts of premises (and installations therein) let to tenants or lodgers
as their living accommodation. These are primarily, to ensure that such
accommodation is in a fit condition When they let it (regulation 8(2)), but
defects in accommodation which is already let when the regulations are applied
must be remedied (regulation 8(3)), and there is a continuing obligation to
keep certain installations in repair except where the tenant or lodger is at
fault (regulation 8(4)).
The manager of a house to which the regulations apply is required to
display therein certain documents (including a copy of the regulations) for the
information of the occupants (regulation 14) and to provide the local authority,
on request, with particulars of the number of occupants and use of rooms
(regulation 15). Regulation 16 imposes obligations on the occupants of
premises for the purpose of ensuring that the manager can effectively carry out
his duties. Regulation 17 requires the local authority to keep a register of
managers, containing their names and addresses and other relevant particulars,
and provides for the disclosure of entries to persons concerned. Regulation 18
enables local authorities to obtain from persons who have an estate or
interest in premises to which the regulations are applied relevant information
about the managers of such premises Regulation 19 provides for arrangements
which local authorities may consider it expedient to make with managers, where
practicable, to assist compliance with the regulations, particularly in cases
where more than one person is by definition manager of a house.
Failure without reasonable excuse to comply with any of the regulations is
an offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine not exceeding £20 and, in
the case of a second or subsequent offence a maximum of three months imprisonment,
or a fine not exceeding £100, or to both (Section 13(4)).