Section 217: Minor definitions: Part VII.

Housing Act 1996 · 1996 c. 52View on legislation.gov.uk

Part VII: Homelessness: England

In this Part, subject to subsection (2)—

  • "private landlord" means a landlord who is not within section 80(1) of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68) (the landlord condition for secure tenancies);

  • "relevant authority" means a local housing authority or a social services authority; and

  • "social services authority" means—

  • in relation to England a local authority for the purposes of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970, as defined in section 1 of that Act.

  • in relation to Wales, a local authority exercising social services functions for the purposes of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.

In this Part, in relation to Scotland—

"local housing authority" means a local authority within the meaning of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, and
"social services authority" means a local authority for the purposes of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.

References in this Part to the district of a local housing authority—

have the same meaning in relation to an authority in England or Wales as in the Housing Act 1985, and
in relation to an authority in Scotland, mean the area of the local authority concerned.

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Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.