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Section 51: Schemes for investigation of complaints.

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

Part I: Social Rented Sector regulated by the Welsh Ministers — Chapter V: Miscellaneous and general provisions

The provisions of Schedule 2 have effect for the purpose of enabling tenants and other individuals to have complaints against social landlords investigated by a housing ombudsman in accordance with a scheme approved by the Secretary of State.

For the purposes of that Schedule a "social landlord" means—

a local authority in England which is a registered provider of social housing,
a private registered provider of social housing,
a transferee of housing pursuant to —
a large scale disposal, within the meaning of section 34 of the Housing Act 1985, for which consent was required under section 32 or 43 of that Act; or
a qualifying disposal that was made under section 135 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993;
a body which has acquired dwellings under Part IV of the Housing Act 1988 (change of landlord: secure tenants); or
any other body which was at any time registered with the Regulator of Social Housing or the Housing Corporation, or with Housing for Wales, and which owns or manages publicly-funded dwellings.

In subsection (2)(d) a "publicly-funded dwelling" means a dwelling which was—

provided by means of a grant under—
acquired on a disposal by a public sector landlord.

In subsection (3) "provides social housing" has the same meaning as in Part 1 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008.

The Secretary of State may by order add to or amend the descriptions of landlords who are to be treated as social landlords for the purposes of Schedule 2.

Before making any such order the Secretary of State shall consult such persons as he considers appropriate.

Any such order shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

This section shall not apply in relation to social landlords in Wales (within the meaning given by section 78 of the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Act 2019).

Section 52 shall apply to an order under subsection (4) (with any necessary modifications).

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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

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