5E+W+SAt the beginning of subsection (3) of section 43 of the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 (registration of rents under regulated tenancies) there shall be inserted the words “ Subject to section 43A below, ”
6E+W+SAfter section 43 of that Act there shall be inserted the following section—
(1)The Secretary of State may, if he thinks fit, make arrangements (“rent registration arrangements”) with another person (a “rent registration service provider”) for the performance by that person in accordance with the arrangements of the functions mentioned in subsection (2) below.
(2)Those functions are the functions, under this Part of this Act and section 70 of M1 the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988, of the rent officer for such registration area or areas as are specified in the rent registration arrangements.
(3)While rent registration arrangements are in force in relation to a registration area, section 43(3) above shall not apply in respect of that area.
(4)The appointment of any rent officer appointed for a registration area in relation to which rent registration arrangements have been made shall terminate on the date on which the arrangements come into force.
(5)Rent registration arrangements shall not include any provision calculated to influence the exercise of the rent registration service provider’s judgment in the performance of his functions.
(6)A rent registration service provider performing functions in pursuance of rent registration arrangements shall not be regarded as a servant or agent of the Crown and shall not have any status, immunity or privilege of the Crown.
(7)References in this Part M2 of this Act (other than sections 43, 43B, 43C and this section), section 70 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 and any other enactment (including an enactment contained in subordinate legislation) to a rent officer shall, as respects a registration area in relation to which rent registration arrangements are in force, be construed as references to the rent registration service provider responsible for the performance of the functions of the rent officer for that area.
(8)A rent registration service provider may perform his functions through an employee or agent and, if he does so—
(a)any decision of, and anything else done or omitted to be done by or in relation to, the employee or agent shall, for the purposes of any enactment (including an enactment contained in subordinate legislation), be deemed to be a decision of or, as the case may be, done or omitted to be done by or in relation to the rent registration service provider; and
(b)where any enactment refers to the personal knowledge, experience or opinion of a rent officer the knowledge, experience or opinion of the employee or agent shall be deemed to be that of the rent registration service provider.
(9)Subsection (8)(a) above is without prejudice to section 43C below.”
7E+W+SAfter section 43A of that Act there shall be inserted the following sections—
(1)Where—
(a)rent registration arrangements are in force in relation to a registration area (“existing arrangements”); and
(b)the Secretary of State decides not to make further such arrangements in relation to that area in respect of the period following the expiry or termination of the existing arrangements,
then, notwithstanding section 43A(3) above, he may under section 43(3) above appoint rent officers for the area, such appointments taking effect on the expiry or, as the case may be, the termination of the existing arrangements.
(2)For the purposes of subsections (3) and (4) below, a change of responsibility takes place where—
(a)under rent registration arrangements in relation to a registration area, a rent registration service provider assumes responsibility for the performance of functions which, immediately prior to the coming into force of the arrangements, were performed by a rent officer for the area or by another rent registration service provider; or
(b)a rent officer is appointed for a registration area in relation to which, immediately prior to the coming into force of the appointment, rent registration arrangements were in force.
(3)Where a change of responsibility takes place the Secretary of State shall publish, in such manner as he considers appropriate, a notice specifying—
(a)the registration area concerned;
(b)the date when the change takes effect; and
(c)the name and official address of the person who is rent officer or, as the case may be, rent registration service provider after that date.
(4)Where a change of responsibility takes place—
(a)any decision taken, and anything else done or omitted to be done in the performance of the functions mentioned in section 43A(2) above by or in relation to the person previously responsible for the performance of those functions shall have effect as if taken or, as the case may be, done or omitted to be done by or in relation to the person currently so responsible; and
(b)any court proceedings by or against the person previously so responsible and relating to the performance by him of those functions shall continue by or against the person currently so responsible.
(1)Schedule 15 to the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (restrictions on disclosure of information) shall, where contractor A within the meaning of that Schedule is a rent registration service provider, apply with the following modifications.
(2)Without prejudice to paragraph 10(1), references to an employee of contractor A and, where contractor B within the meaning of that Schedule is also a rent registration service provider, to an employee of contractor B shall be taken to include references to an agent, and the employee of an agent, of contractor A or, as the case may be, of contractor B.
(3)Subject to subsections (4) to (6) below, references to authority A shall be taken to be references to the rent officer for any registration area specified in the rent registration arrangements.
(4)In paragraph 2(a), the reference to authority A shall be taken to be a reference to such a rent officer or the Secretary of State.
(5)In paragraphs 3(2)(b), 4(2)(b), 5(b) and 8 and, in paragraph 10(1), in the definition of “ancillary services”, the reference to authority A shall be taken to be a reference to the Secretary of State.
(6)In the definition of “related function” in paragraph 10(1), the reference to a function of authority A which is certified by that authority shall be taken to be a reference to a function of a rent officer which is certified by the Secretary of State.”