Section 261: Meaning of "appropriate national authority", "local housing authority" etc.

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

Part 7: Supplementary and final provisions

In this Act "the appropriate national authority" means—

in relation to England, the Secretary of State; and
in relation to Wales, the National Assembly for Wales.

In this Act "local housing authority" means, in relation to England—

a unitary authority;
a district council so far as it is not a unitary authority;
a London borough council;
the Common Council of the City of London (in its capacity as a local authority);
the Sub-Treasurer of the Inner Temple or the Under-Treasurer of the Middle Temple (in his capacity as a local authority); and
the Council of the Isles of Scilly.

In subsection (2) "unitary authority" means—

the council of a county so far as it is the council for an area for which there are no district councils;
the council of any district comprised in an area for which there is no county council.

In this Act "local housing authority" means, in relation to Wales, a county council or a county borough council.

References in this Act to "the local housing authority", in relation to land, are to the local housing authority in whose district the land is situated.

References in this Act to the district of a local housing authority are to the area of the council concerned, that is to say—

in the case of a unitary authority, the area or district;
in the case of a district council so far as it is not a unitary authority, the district;
in the case of an authority within subsection (2)(c) to (f), the London borough, the City of London, the Inner or Middle Temple or the Isles of Scilly (as the case may be); and
in the case of a Welsh county council or a county borough council, the Welsh county or county borough.

Section 618 of the Housing Act 1985 (c. 68) (committees and members of Common Council of City of London) applies in relation to this Act as it applies in relation to that Act.

In this Act "appropriate tribunal" means—

in relation to premises in England, the First-tier Tribunal or, where determined by or under Tribunal Procedure Rules, the Upper Tribunal; and
in relation to premises in Wales, a residential property tribunal.

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