Housing Act 2004

82 Designation needs confirmation or general approval to be effective

(1) A designation of an area as subject to selective licensing cannot come into force unless—

(a) it has been confirmed by the appropriate national authority; or

(b) it falls within a description of designations in relation to which that authority has given a general approval in accordance with subsection (6).

(2) The appropriate national authority may either confirm, or refuse to confirm, a designation as it considers appropriate.

(3) If the appropriate national authority confirms a designation, the designation comes into force on a date specified for this purpose by that authority.

(4) That date must be no earlier than three months after the date on which the designation is confirmed.

(5) A general approval may be given in relation to a description of designations framed by reference to any matters or circumstances.

(6) Accordingly a general approval may (in particular) be given in relation to—

(a) designations made by a specified local housing authority;

(b) designations made by a local housing authority falling within a specified description of such authorities;

(c) designations relating to Part 3 houses of a specified description.

• “Specified” means specified by the appropriate national authority in the approval.

(7) If, by virtue of a general approval, a designation does not need to be confirmed before it comes into force, the designation comes into force on the date specified for this purpose in the designation.

(8) That date must be no earlier than three months after the date on which the designation is made.

(9) Where a designation comes into force, this Part applies in relation to the occupation by persons of houses in the area on or after the coming into force of the designation even if their occupation began before, or in pursuance of a contract made before, it came into force.