In this Part "landlord authority" means—
a local housing authority,
a private registered provider of social housing other than a co-operative housing association,
a registered social landlord other than a co-operative housing association,
a housing trust , or which is a charity,
a development corporation,
a Mayoral development corporation,
a housing action trust, or
an urban development corporation, . . .
. . .
other than an authority in respect of which an exemption certificate has been issued.
The Secretary of State may, on an application duly made by the authority concerned, issue an exemption certificate to—
a development corporation,
a housing action trust, or
an urban development corporation, . . .
. . .
if he is satisfied that it has transferred, or otherwise disposed of, at least three-quarters of the dwellings which have at any time before the making of the application been vested in it.
The application shall be in such form and shall be accompanied by such information as the Secretary of State may, either generally or in relation to a particular case, direct.