Section 22: Contents of prohibition orders

Housing Act 2004 · 2004 c. 34View on legislation.gov.uk

Part 1: Housing conditions — Chapter 2: Improvement notices, prohibition orders and hazard awareness notices

A prohibition order under section 20 or 21 must comply with the following provisions of this section.

The order must specify, in relation to the hazard (or each of the hazards) to which it relates—

whether the order is made under section 20 or 21,
the nature of the hazard concerned and the residential premises on which it exists,
the deficiency giving rise to the hazard,
the premises in relation to which prohibitions are imposed by the order (see subsections (3) and (4)), and
any remedial action which the authority consider would, if taken in relation to the hazard, result in their revoking the order under section 25.

The order may impose such prohibition or prohibitions on the use of any premises as—

comply with section 20(3) and (4), and
the local housing authority consider appropriate in view of the hazard or hazards in respect of which the order is made.

Any such prohibition may prohibit use of any specified premises, or of any part of those premises, either—

for all purposes, or
for any particular purpose,

except (in either case) to the extent to which any use of the premises or part is approved by the authority.

A prohibition imposed by virtue of subsection (4)(b) may, in particular, relate to—

occupation of the premises or part by more than a particular number of households or persons; or
occupation of the premises or part by particular descriptions of persons.

The order must also contain information about—

the right under Part 3 of Schedule 2 to appeal against the order, and
the period within which an appeal may be made,

and specify the date on which the order is made.

Any approval of the authority for the purposes of subsection (4) must not be unreasonably withheld.

If the authority do refuse to give any such approval, they must notify the person applying for the approval of—

their decision,
the reasons for it and the date on which it was made,
the right to appeal against the decision under subsection (9), and
the period within which an appeal may be made,

within the period of seven days beginning with the day on which the decision was made.

The person applying for the approval may appeal to the appropriate tribunal against the decision within the period of 28 days beginning with the date specified in the notice as the date on which it was made.

In this Part of this Act "specified premises", in relation to a prohibition order, means premises specified in the order, in accordance with subsection (2)(d), as premises in relation to which prohibitions are imposed by the order.

About this text

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.