(1)Subject to subsection (3), a local housing authority shall not entertain an application to which this section applies unless they are satisfied—
(a)that the ownership or tenancy condition (see section 11) was met throughout the qualifying period, and
(b)in the case of an application accompanied by an owner-occupation certificate or a tenant’s certificate, that the applicant lived in the dwelling as his only or main residence throughout that period.
In the case of a joint application it is sufficient if those conditions are met by any of the applicants.
(2)The qualifying period for the purposes of this section is the period of three years, or such other period as may be specified by order of the Secretary of State, ending with the date of the application.
(3)A local housing authority may dispense with compliance with either or both of the conditions in subsection (1), and may do so either generally or in relation to particular cases or descriptions of case.
(4)Subject to subsection (5), this section applies to every application for a renovation grant, other than—
(a)a conversion application,
(b)an application in respect of a dwelling in a renewal area,
(c)an application in respect of works to provide means of escape in case of fire or other fire precautions, or
(d)an application of any other description excepted from this section by order of the Secretary of State.
(5)This section does not apply to a landlord’s application unless the Secretary of State by order so provides, which he may do with respect to all landlord’s applications or any description of landlord’s application.
Any such order may provide that this section applies to a landlord’s application notwithstanding that it is of a kind mentioned in paragraphs (a) to (d) of subsection (4).
(6)A “landlord’s application” for a renovation grant means an owner’s application which is accompanied by a certificate of intended letting.
A conversion application for the provision of two or more dwellings shall not be treated as a landlord’s application if any of the certificates accompanying the application is an owner-occupation certificate.