Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Act 2018
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" xmlns:uk="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/UK-AKN" xmlns:ukl="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" eId="section-1"><num>1</num><heading>Duty to grant old-style secure tenancies: victims of domestic abuse</heading><subsection eId="section-1-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>Section 81B of the Housing Act 1985 (cases where old-style English secure tenancies may be granted) is amended as follows.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p><mod>After subsection (2) insert—<quotedStructure startQuote="“" endQuote="”" uk:context="body" uk:docName="ukpga" ukl:TargetClass="primary" ukl:TargetSubClass="unknown" ukl:Context="main" ukl:Format="default"><subsection><num>(2A)</num><intro><p>A local housing authority that grants a secure tenancy of a dwelling-house in England must grant an old-style secure tenancy if—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the tenancy is offered to a person who is or was a tenant of some other dwelling-house under a qualifying tenancy (whether as the sole tenant or as a joint tenant), and</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><intro><p>the authority is satisfied that—</p></intro><level class="para2"><num>(i)</num><content><p>the person or a member of the person's household is or has been a victim of domestic abuse carried out by another person, and</p></content></level><level class="para2"><num>(ii)</num><content><p>the new tenancy is granted for reasons connected with that abuse.</p></content></level></level></subsection><subsection><num>(2B)</num><intro><p>A local housing authority that grants a secure tenancy of a dwelling-house in England must grant an old-style secure tenancy if—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the tenancy is offered to a person who was a joint tenant of that dwelling-house under an old-style secure tenancy, and</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><intro><p>the authority is satisfied that—</p></intro><level class="para2"><num>(i)</num><content><p>the person or a member of the person's household is or has been a victim of domestic abuse carried out by another person, and</p></content></level><level class="para2"><num>(ii)</num><content><p>the new tenancy is granted for reasons connected with that abuse.</p></content></level></level></subsection><subsection><num>(2C)</num><intro><p>In subsections (2A) and (2B)—</p></intro><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-abuse">abuse</term>” means—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>violence,</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>threatening, intimidating, coercive or controlling behaviour, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(c)</num><content><p>any other form of abuse, including emotional, financial, physical, psychological or sexual abuse;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“domestic abuse” is abuse where the victim is or has been—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>in the same family or household as the abuser, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>in an intimate personal relationship with the abuser;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-qualifying-tenancy">qualifying tenancy</term>” means a tenancy of a dwelling-house in England which is—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>an old-style secure tenancy, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>an assured tenancy which is not an assured shorthold tenancy and which is granted by a private registered provider of social housing, by the Regulator of Social Housing or by a housing trust which is a charity.</p></content></level></hcontainer></subsection></quotedStructure></mod></p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-1-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p><mod>In subsection (1)(b), after “(2)” insert <quotedText>“
, (2A) or (2B)
”</quotedText>.</mod></p></content></subsection></section>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-1-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>Section 81B of the Housing Act 1985 (cases where old-style English secure tenancies may be granted) is amended as follows.</p></content></subsection>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" xmlns:uk="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/UK-AKN" xmlns:ukl="http://www.legislation.gov.uk/namespaces/legislation" eId="section-1-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p><mod>After subsection (2) insert—<quotedStructure startQuote="“" endQuote="”" uk:context="body" uk:docName="ukpga" ukl:TargetClass="primary" ukl:TargetSubClass="unknown" ukl:Context="main" ukl:Format="default"><subsection><num>(2A)</num><intro><p>A local housing authority that grants a secure tenancy of a dwelling-house in England must grant an old-style secure tenancy if—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the tenancy is offered to a person who is or was a tenant of some other dwelling-house under a qualifying tenancy (whether as the sole tenant or as a joint tenant), and</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><intro><p>the authority is satisfied that—</p></intro><level class="para2"><num>(i)</num><content><p>the person or a member of the person's household is or has been a victim of domestic abuse carried out by another person, and</p></content></level><level class="para2"><num>(ii)</num><content><p>the new tenancy is granted for reasons connected with that abuse.</p></content></level></level></subsection><subsection><num>(2B)</num><intro><p>A local housing authority that grants a secure tenancy of a dwelling-house in England must grant an old-style secure tenancy if—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>the tenancy is offered to a person who was a joint tenant of that dwelling-house under an old-style secure tenancy, and</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><intro><p>the authority is satisfied that—</p></intro><level class="para2"><num>(i)</num><content><p>the person or a member of the person's household is or has been a victim of domestic abuse carried out by another person, and</p></content></level><level class="para2"><num>(ii)</num><content><p>the new tenancy is granted for reasons connected with that abuse.</p></content></level></level></subsection><subsection><num>(2C)</num><intro><p>In subsections (2A) and (2B)—</p></intro><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-abuse">abuse</term>” means—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>violence,</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>threatening, intimidating, coercive or controlling behaviour, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(c)</num><content><p>any other form of abuse, including emotional, financial, physical, psychological or sexual abuse;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“domestic abuse” is abuse where the victim is or has been—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>in the same family or household as the abuser, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>in an intimate personal relationship with the abuser;</p></content></level></hcontainer><hcontainer name="definition"><intro><p>“<term refersTo="#term-qualifying-tenancy">qualifying tenancy</term>” means a tenancy of a dwelling-house in England which is—</p></intro><level class="para1"><num>(a)</num><content><p>an old-style secure tenancy, or</p></content></level><level class="para1"><num>(b)</num><content><p>an assured tenancy which is not an assured shorthold tenancy and which is granted by a private registered provider of social housing, by the Regulator of Social Housing or by a housing trust which is a charity.</p></content></level></hcontainer></subsection></quotedStructure></mod></p></content></subsection>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-1-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p><mod>In subsection (1)(b), after “(2)” insert <quotedText>“
, (2A) or (2B)
”</quotedText>.</mod></p></content></subsection>
<section xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2"><num>2</num><heading>Extent, commencement and short title</heading><subsection eId="section-2-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>This Act extends to England and Wales only.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-2-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>Section 1 of this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-2-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p>This section comes into force on the day on which this Act is passed.</p></content></subsection><subsection eId="section-2-4"><num>(4)</num><content><p>This Act may be cited as the Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Act 2018.</p></content></subsection></section>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2-1"><num>(1)</num><content><p>This Act extends to England and Wales only.</p></content></subsection>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2-2"><num>(2)</num><content><p>Section 1 of this Act comes into force on such day as the Secretary of State may by regulations made by statutory instrument appoint.</p></content></subsection>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2-3"><num>(3)</num><content><p>This section comes into force on the day on which this Act is passed.</p></content></subsection>
<subsection xmlns="http://docs.oasis-open.org/legaldocml/ns/akn/3.0" eId="section-2-4"><num>(4)</num><content><p>This Act may be cited as the Secure Tenancies (Victims of Domestic Abuse) Act 2018.</p></content></subsection>