This section applies if any of the following works are carried out—
If a relevant residential unit is occupied before a completion certificate relating to a relevant part of the building is issued, the relevant accountable person commits an offence.
It is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that the person had a reasonable excuse for the residential unit being occupied before such a completion certificate was issued.
A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable—
In this section—
"completion certificate" means a certificate of a prescribed description that is issued under regulations made under section 1(1) of the Building Act 1984 (building regulations);
"occupied": a residential unit is occupied if there is a resident of it;
"relevant accountable person", in relation to a residential unit, means the accountable person who is responsible for a relevant part of the building;
"relevant part" of a building, in relation to a residential unit, means a part of the building containing the residential unit;
"relevant residential unit" means— in the case of works within subsection (1)(a), any residential unit in the building; in the case of works within subsection (1)(b), any additional residential unit; in the case of works within subsection (1)(c), any residential unit in the building except one that existed before the works began.