20.—(1) The Housing Act 1996(1)is amended as follows.
(2) In section 62(1)(a)(2), for “as husband and wife or as if they were” substitute “as if they were a married couple or”.
(3) In section 140(1)(a), for “as husband and wife or as if they were” substitute “as if they were a married couple or”.
(4) In section 178(3)(3)—
(a)in the definition of “co-habitants”, for paragraphs (a) and (b) substitute “two people who, although not married to, or civil partners of, each other, are living together as if they were a married couple or civil partners”;
(b)in the definition of “relative”, in the words after paragraph (b)—
(i)for “husband and wife” substitute “if they were a married couple or civil partners”;
(ii)after “married to” insert “, or civil partners of,”.
Sections 62(1)(a) and 140(1)(a) were amended by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, Schedule 8, paragraph 51.
The definitions of “cohabitants” and “relative” were amended by the Civil Partnership Act 2004, Schedule 8, paragraph 61.