Part 15 – Amendment of Housing (Scotland) Act 2006
173.Section 148 explains that the provisions in this Part make miscellaneous amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (the “2006 Act”).
174.Section 149 removes the need for local authorities to submit draft Housing Renewal Area (HRA) designation orders to Scottish Ministers for approval. Local authorities will still be required to give notice of their decision not to proceed with an HRA following public consultation on a draft designation order, and to give notice when an HRA is made. It also adds a requirement for local authorities to consult various interested parties before making any modification to an HRA which it thinks is significant.
175.Subsection (1) of section 150 extends the situations in which local authorities can pay missing shares into a maintenance account to include making a payment of a missing share on behalf of owners who are unwilling to pay. Subsection (2) enables local authorities to recover the cost of devising a maintenance plan where an owner fails to submit a satisfactory plan within the time specified in the maintenance order, and costs arising from the variation of a plan, from the owner of the house concerned. Subsection (3) amends section 61 of the 2006 Act to allow a local authority to recover from owners any expenses incurred in registering documents related to maintenance orders and plans, including the cost of registration, any administrative expenses, and interest at a reasonable rate. Local authorities will also be able to issue a repayment charge in respect of these costs. Subsection (4) allows local authorities to recover the costs of registering a repayment charge or the discharge of a repayment charge. This includes the cost of the registration, plus any related administrative expenses and interest at a reasonable rate, and can include the issue of a further repayment charge.
176.Section 151 amends section 71 of the 2006 Act to extend the situations in which local authorities can provide assistance under section 71 of the 2006 Act to include demolition.
