(1) An amount payable to a tenant or local housing authority under a rent repayment order is recoverable as a debt.
(2) An amount payable to a local housing authority under a rent repayment order does not, when recovered by the authority, constitute an amount of universal credit recovered by the authority.
(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about how local housing authorities are to deal with amounts recovered under rent repayment orders.
48 Duty to consider applying for rent repayment orders
If a local housing authority becomes aware that a person has been convicted of an offence to which this Chapter applies in relation to housing in its area, the authority must consider applying for a rent repayment order.
49 Helping tenants apply for rent repayment orders
(1) A local housing authority in England may help a tenant to apply for a rent repayment order.
(2) A local housing authority may, for example, help the tenant to apply by conducting proceedings or by giving advice to the tenant.
(1) The Housing Act 2004 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 73 (other consequences of operating unlicensed HMOs: rent repayment orders)—
(a) in subsection (4), after “section 74” insert “ (in the case of an HMO in Wales) or in accordance with Chapter 4 of Part 2 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (in the case of an HMO in England) ”;
(b) in subsection (5)(a), after “HMO” insert “ in Wales ”.
(3) In section 96 (other consequences of operating unlicensed houses: rent repayment orders)—
(a) in subsection (4), after “section 97” insert “ (in the case of a house in Wales) or in accordance with Chapter 4 of Part 2 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (in the case of a house in England) ”;
(b) in subsection (5)(a), after “house” insert “ in Wales ”.
(1) In this Chapter a reference to universal credit or a relevant award of universal credit includes housing benefit under Part 7 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992.
(2) Where a local authority applies for a rent repayment order in relation to housing benefit, a reference in this Chapter to “rent” includes any payment in respect of which housing benefit may be paid.
51A Landlord which is body corporate: liability of directors etc
(1) This section applies where—
(a) a landlord which is a body corporate has committed an offence to which this Chapter applies, and
(b) the offence—
(i) was committed with the consent or connivance of a relevant person in relation to the body corporate, or of a person purporting to act in the capacity of a relevant person in relation to the body corporate, or
(ii) was a specified offence and was attributable to any neglect on the part of such a person.
(2) That person, as well as the body corporate, is treated for the purposes of this Chapter as having committed the offence.
(3) In this Chapter a reference to the landlord includes that person.
(4) In this section—
“relevant person” means—
in relation to a body corporate other than one the affairs of which are managed by its members, a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body;
in relation to a body corporate the affairs of which are managed by its members, a member who exercises functions of management with respect to it;
“specified offence” means an offence under—
section 1 (2) of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977;
section 16J (2) or (3) of the Housing Act 1988;
section 30 (1), 32(1), 72(1) or 95(1) of the Housing Act 2004;
section 21 of this Act;
section 67(1) or 92(2) of the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.
(1) In this Chapter—
“landlord” is to be read in accordance with section 40(2A);
“offence to which this Chapter applies” has the meaning given by section 40;
“relevant award of universal credit” means an award of universal credit the calculation of which included an amount under section 11 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012;
“rent” includes any payment in respect of which an amount under section 11 of the Welfare Reform Act 2012 may be included in the calculation of an award of universal credit;
“rent repayment order” has the meaning given by section 40.
(2) For the purposes of this Chapter an amount that a tenant does not pay as rent but which is offset against rent is to be treated as having been paid as rent.
(1) A person aggrieved by a decision of the First-tier Tribunal made under this Part may appeal to the Upper Tribunal.
(2) An appeal may not be brought under subsection (1) in relation to a decision on a point of law (as to which see instead section 11 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (right of appeal to Upper Tribunal)).
(3) An appeal may not be brought under subsection (1) if the decision is set aside under section 9 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (review of decision of First-tier Tribunal).
(4) An appeal may be brought under subsection (1) only if, on an application made by the person concerned, the First-tier Tribunal or Upper Tribunal has given its permission for the appeal to be brought.
(5) In any case where the Upper Tribunal is determining an appeal under subsection (1), section 12(2) to (4) of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (proceedings on appeal to the Upper Tribunal) apply.
54 Meaning of “letting agent” and related expressions
(1) In this Part “letting agent” means a person who engages in letting agency work (whether or not that person engages in other work).
(2) But a person is not a letting agent for the purposes of this Part if the person engages in letting agency work in the course of that person's employment under a contract of employment.
(3) In this Part “letting agency work” means things done by a person in the course of a business in response to instructions received from—
(a) a person (“a prospective landlord”) seeking to find another person to whom to let housing, or
(b) a person (“a prospective tenant”) seeking to find housing to rent.
(4) But “letting agency work” does not include any of the following things when done by a person who does nothing else within subsection (3)—
(a) publishing advertisements or disseminating information;
(b) providing a means by which a prospective landlord or a prospective tenant can, in response to an advertisement or dissemination of information, make direct contact with a prospective tenant or a prospective landlord;
(c) providing a means by which a prospective landlord and a prospective tenant can communicate directly with each other.
(5) In this Part “English letting agency work” means letting agency work that relates to housing in England.
55 Meaning of “property manager” and related expressions
(1) In this Part “property manager” means a person who engages in English property management work.
(2) But a person is not a property manager for the purposes of this Part if the person engages in English property management work in the course of that person's employment under a contract of employment.
(3) In this Part “English property management work” means things done by a person in the course of a business in response to instructions received from another person (“the client”) where—
(a) the client wishes the person to arrange services, repairs, maintenance, improvements or insurance in respect of, or to deal with any other aspect of the management of, premises on the client's behalf, and
(b) the premises consist of housing in England let under a tenancy.
In this Part—
“banning order” has the meaning given by section 14;
“banning order offence” has the meaning given by section 14;
“body corporate” includes a body incorporated outside England and Wales;
“database” means the database of rogue landlords and letting agents established under section 28;
“English letting agency work” has the meaning given by section 54;
“English property management work” has the meaning given by section 55;
“financial penalty” means a penalty that—
is imposed in respect of conduct that amounts to an offence, but
is imposed otherwise than following the person's conviction for the offence;
“housing” means a building, or part of a building, occupied or intended to be occupied as a dwelling or as more than one dwelling;
“letting”—
includes the grant of a licence, but
except in Chapter 4, does not include the grant of a tenancy or licence for a term of more than 21 years,
and “let” is to be read accordingly;
“letting agency work” has the meaning given by section 54;
“letting agent” has the meaning given by section 54;
“local housing authority” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Housing Act 1985;
“officer”, in relation to a body corporate, means—
any director, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate, or
any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity;
“property agent” means a letting agent or property manager;
“property manager” has the meaning given by section 55;
“residential landlord” means a landlord of housing;
“tenancy”—
includes a licence, but
except in Chapter 4, does not include a tenancy or licence for a term of more than 21 years.
(1) The Secretary of State may make grants to private registered providers in respect of right to buy discounts.
(2) A grant under this section may be made on any terms and conditions the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(3) See also section 47 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (which would allow the Secretary of State to direct the Homes and Communities Agency to use its powers to make grants of the kind mentioned above).
(1) The Greater London Authority may make grants to private registered providers in respect of right to buy discounts for dwellings in London.
(2) A grant under this section may be made on any terms and conditions the Greater London Authority considers appropriate.
(1) The Regulator of Social Housing must, if requested to do so by the Secretary of State, monitor compliance with the home ownership criteria.
(2) “The home ownership criteria” means criteria, specified in the request, that relate to the sale of dwellings by private registered providers to tenants otherwise than in exercise of a right conferred by an Act.
(3) The criteria may be expressed by reference to other documents.
(4) On making a request under subsection (1) the Secretary of State must publish the home ownership criteria specified in the request.
(5) The Regulator must provide such reports or other information as the Secretary of State may request about compliance with the home ownership criteria.
(6) The Secretary of State may publish information about a private registered provider that has not met the home ownership criteria.
67 Consequential changes to HCA's duty to give grants
(1) Section 35 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (duty to give financial assistance in respect of certain disposals) is amended as follows.
(2) For subsection (1) substitute—
(1) The HCA must exercise its powers under section 19 to give financial assistance by way of grant to a relevant provider of social housing in respect of any discount given by the provider by virtue of a person exercising the right to acquire conferred by section 180.
(3) Omit subsection (2).
(4) In subsection (3), for “(1)(a)” substitute “(1)”.
(5) In subsection (5), omit paragraph (b).
In this Chapter—
“dwelling” has the meaning given by section 275 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008;
“private registered provider” means a private registered provider of social housing;
“right to buy discount” means a discount given to a tenant of a dwelling on the disposal of the dwelling to the tenant otherwise than in the exercise of a right conferred by an Act.
(1) The Secretary of State may make a determination requiring a local housing authority in England to make a payment to the Secretary of State in respect of a financial year.
(2) The amount of the payment must represent an estimate of—
(a) the market value of the authority's interest in any higher value housing that is likely to become vacant during the year, less
(b) any costs or other deductions of a kind described in the determination.
(3) For the housing to be taken into account, see section 70.
(4) A determination may only be made in respect of a local housing authority that keeps a Housing Revenue Account.
(5) A determination must set out the method for calculating the amount of the payment.
(6) A determination may, in particular, provide for all or part of the amount to be calculated using a formula.
(7) A determination may provide for assumptions to be made in making a calculation whether or not those assumptions are, or are likely to be, borne out by events.
(8) The Secretary of State must by regulations define “higher value”, in relation to housing, for the purposes of this Chapter.
(9) Regulations under subsection (8) may define “higher value” in different ways for different kinds of housing, different local housing authorities or different areas.
(10) In determining how to define “higher value”, in relation to housing, the Secretary of State may—
(a) use any category of housing that the Secretary of State considers appropriate as a comparator (for example, housing in which a local housing authority has an interest or housing in a particular area);
(b) take into account any other factors that the Secretary of State considers appropriate.
(1) This section is about the housing to be taken into account under section 69(2).
(2) Housing is to be taken into account only if—
(a) it appears in the list in section 74(1) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (Housing Revenue Account), and
(b) it is not excluded by regulations made by the Secretary of State.
(3) Where a local housing authority disposes of housing under section 32 or 43 of the Housing Act 1985 to a private registered provider of social housing the Secretary of State may for the purposes of this Chapter—
(a) treat the local housing authority as still having that housing, and
(b) treat the housing as being likely to become vacant whenever it would have been likely to become vacant if it had not been disposed of.
(4) A determination under section 69 must identify any housing that the Secretary of State has taken into account under subsection (3).
(1) Before making a determination under section 69 that relates to all local housing authorities or a description of local housing authority the Secretary of State must consult such representatives of local government and relevant professional bodies as the Secretary of State thinks appropriate.
(2) Before making a determination under section 69 that relates to a particular local housing authority, the Secretary of State must consult that local housing authority.
(3) As soon as possible after making a determination under section 69 the Secretary of State must send a copy of it to each local housing authority to which it relates.
(4) Section 87(4) to (7) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (electronic communications) applies to a determination under this Chapter as it applies to a determination under Part 6 of that Act.
(5) A consultation requirement imposed by this section may be satisfied by consultation carried out before this Act was passed.
(1) A determination under section 69 must be made before the financial year to which it relates.
(2) But the determination may be varied or revoked by a subsequent determination under that section made before, after or during the financial year to which it relates.
(3) A determination under section 69 may relate to one financial year or to more than one financial year.
(4) A determination under section 69 may make provision about how and when a payment is to be made including, in particular, provision for payments by instalment.
(5) A determination under section 69 may provide for interest to be charged in the event of late payment.
(6) A determination under section 69—
(a) may make different provision for different areas;
(b) may make different provision for different local housing authorities;
(c) may otherwise make different provision for different purposes.
73 Determinations in the first year that section 69 comes into force
If section 69 comes into force part way through a financial year, then, in relation to that financial year—
(a) a determination under section 69 may be made at any time (despite section 72(1)), but
(b) any reference in section 69 to housing becoming vacant during a financial year is to be read as limited to housing becoming vacant after the determination is made (or, in a case where it is varied in accordance with section 72(2), housing becoming vacant after the original determination in relation to that financial year is made).
(1) The Secretary of State and a local housing authority may enter into an agreement to reduce the amount that the authority is required to pay because of a determination under this Chapter.
(2) The terms and conditions of an agreement must include—
(a) the amount of the reduction mentioned in subsection (1), and
(b) any terms and conditions required by subsection (3) or (4).
(3) Where the agreement is with a local housing authority outside Greater London, it must include terms and conditions requiring the authority to ensure that at least one new affordable home is provided for each old dwelling.
(4) Where the agreement is with a local housing authority in Greater London, it must include terms and conditions requiring the authority to ensure that at least two new affordable homes are provided for each old dwelling.
(5) But if the Greater London Authority has agreed to ensure that a number of the new affordable homes are provided, that number is to be deducted from the number for which the local housing authority must be made responsible by terms and conditions under subsection (4).
(6) The Secretary of State may by regulations create other exceptions to subsection (3) or (4) in relation to one or more local housing authorities.
(7) In this section—
“new affordable home” means a new dwelling in England that—
is to be made available for people whose needs are not adequately served by the commercial housing market, or
is a starter home as defined by section 2;
“new dwelling” means a building or part of a building that—
has been constructed for use as a single dwelling and has not previously been occupied, or
has been adapted for use as a single dwelling and has not been occupied since its adaptation;
“old dwelling” means a single dwelling taken into account under section 69(2) for the purposes of the determination.
(8) If a determination under this Chapter relates to more than one financial year—
(a) an agreement under this section may be made in relation to the determination so far as it relates to a particular financial year, and
(b) in the definition of “old dwelling” in subsection (7) the reference to the determination is to the determination so far as it relates to the financial year to which the agreement relates.
(9) The Secretary of State may by regulations amend this section so as to change the meaning of “new affordable home”.
Where the Secretary of State is liable to repay an amount that has been overpaid by a local housing authority under section 69, the Secretary of State may set off against the amount of the repayment any amount that the authority is liable to pay the Secretary of State under—
(a) section 69, or
(b) section 11 of the Local Government Act 2003.
76 Duty to consider selling vacant higher value housing
(1) A local housing authority in England that keeps a Housing Revenue Account must consider selling its interest in any higher value housing that has become vacant.
(2) The duty in subsection (1) applies only in relation to housing that appears in the list in section 74(1) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (Housing Revenue Account).
(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations exclude housing from the duty in subsection (1).
(4) In discharging its duty under subsection (1) a local housing authority must have regard to any guidance given by the Secretary of State.
77 Local authority disposal of housing: consent requirements
(1) The Housing Act 1985 is amended as follows.
(2) In section 34(4A) (consents to disposals and conditions), after paragraph (ca) (but before the “and”) insert—
(cb) any reduction in the amount that the local authority may be required to pay under section 69 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (payments to Secretary of State in respect of vacant higher value housing in England) as a result of the disposal;
.
(3) In section 43(4A) (consents to disposals and conditions), after paragraph (ca) (but before the “and”) insert—
(cb) any reduction in the amount that the local authority may be required to pay under section 69 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (payments to Secretary of State in respect of vacant higher value housing in England) as a result of the disposal;
.
78 Set off under section 11 of Local Government Act 2003
(1) Section 11 of the Local Government Act 2003 (use of capital receipts) is amended as follows.
(2) In subsection (5), after “an authority” insert “ in Wales ”.
(3) After subsection (5) insert—
(5A) Where the Secretary of State is liable to repay an amount that has been overpaid by a local housing authority in England under this section, the Secretary of State may set off against the amount of the repayment any amount that the authority is liable to pay the Secretary of State under—
(a) this section, or
(b) section 69 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (payments in respect of vacant higher value housing).
(1) In this Chapter—
“becomes vacant”: housing in which a local housing authority has an interest “ becomes vacant ” when a tenancy granted by the authority comes to an end and is not renewed expressly or by operation of law (but see subsection (2));
“financial year” means a period of 12 months beginning with 1 April;
“higher value”, in relation to housing, has the meaning given by regulations under section 69;
“housing” means a building, or part of a building, which is occupied or intended to be occupied as a dwelling or as more than one dwelling;
“Housing Revenue Account” has the meaning given by section 74 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989;
“interest” means a freehold or leasehold interest;
“local housing authority” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Housing Act 1985;
“tenancy” includes a licence to occupy.
(2) The Secretary of State may by regulations specify circumstances in which housing is to be treated as not having become vacant for the purposes of this Part even if it otherwise would be.
80 Mandatory rents for high income local authority tenants
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision about the levels of rent that an English local housing authority must charge a high income tenant of social housing in England.
(2) The regulations may, in particular, require the rent—
(a) to be equal to the market rate,
(b) to be a proportion of the market rate, or
(c) to be determined by reference to other factors.
(3) The regulations may, in particular, provide for the rent to be different—
(a) for people with different incomes, or
(b) for social housing in different areas.
(4) The regulations may create exceptions for high income tenants of social housing of a specified description.
(5) The regulations may require a local housing authority to have regard to guidance given by the Secretary of State when determining rent in accordance with the regulations.
(6) Regulations under this section are referred to in this Chapter as “rent regulations”.
(1) Rent regulations must—
(a) define what is meant by “high income” for the purposes of this Chapter, and
(b) make provision about how a person's income is to be calculated.
(2) The regulations may, in particular—
(a) define “high income” in different ways for different areas;
(b) specify things that are, or are not, to be treated as income;
(c) make provision about the period by reference to which a person's income is to be calculated (which may be a period in the past);
(d) make provision about how a person's income is to be verified;
(e) require a person's household income (as defined by the regulations) to be taken into account;
(f) require a local housing authority to have regard to guidance given by the Secretary of State when calculating or verifying a person's income.
(1) Rent regulations may give a local housing authority the power to require a tenant to provide information or evidence for the purpose of determining whether the local housing authority is obliged by the regulations to charge a specific level of rent and what that level is.
(2) Rent regulations may require an English local housing authority to charge the maximum rent to a tenant who has failed to comply with a requirement.
(3) Regulations made in reliance on subsection (1) may, in particular, make provision about—
(a) the kind of information or evidence that may be required;
(b) the time within which and the manner and form in which the information or evidence is to be provided.
(4) In subsection (1) “tenant” includes prospective tenant.
(5) In subsection (2) “the maximum rent” means the rent that a local housing authority is required to charge a high income tenant of the premises under section 80 (or, if regulations under section 80(3)(a) provide for different rents for people with different incomes, the rent that a person in the highest income bracket would be required to pay).
(1) HMRC may disclose information for the purpose of enabling a local housing authority to determine whether it is obliged by rent regulations to charge a tenant a specific level of rent and what that level is.
(2) The information may only be disclosed to—
(a) a local housing authority,
(b) the Secretary of State for the purposes of passing the information to local housing authorities,
(c) a public body that has been given the function of passing information between HMRC and local housing authorities by regulations under subsection (3), or
(d) a body with which the Secretary of State has made arrangements for the passing of information between HMRC and local housing authorities.
(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations—
(a) give a public body the function mentioned in subsection (2)(c), and
(b) make provision about the carrying out of that function.
(4) The Secretary of State must obtain HMRC's consent before making—
(a) arrangements under subsection (2)(d), or
(b) regulations under subsection (3).
(5) Information disclosed under this section to the Secretary of State or to a body mentioned in subsection (2)(c) or (d) may be passed on to a local housing authority for which it is intended.
(6) Information disclosed under this section may not otherwise be further disclosed without authorisation from HMRC.
(7) Where a person contravenes subsection (6) by disclosing any revenue and customs information relating to a person whose identity—
(a) is specified in the disclosure, or
(b) can be deduced from it,
section 19 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (wrongful disclosure) applies in relation to that disclosure as it applies in relation to a disclosure of such information in contravention of section 20(9) of that Act.
(8) In this section—
“HMRC” means the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs;
“revenue and customs information relating to a person” has the meaning given by section 19(2) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005;
“tenant” includes prospective tenant.
(1) Rent regulations may include provision for the purpose of ensuring that where a requirement imposed under section 80(1) ceases to apply, the rent is changed to what it would have been if the requirement had never applied.
(2) Rent regulations may include provision for the purpose of ensuring that where—
(a) a local housing authority is required by section 82(2) to charge the maximum rent because of a tenant's failure to provide information or evidence, and
(b) the tenant subsequently provides the necessary information or evidence,
the rent is changed to what it would have been if section 82(2) had never applied.
85 Power to change rents and procedure for changing rents
(1) Rent regulations may give a local housing authority power to change the rent payable under a tenancy for the purpose of complying with the regulations.
(2) Rent regulations may make provision about the procedure for changing rent to comply with the regulations (whether the change is made using a power given by regulations under subsection (1) or otherwise).
(3) Regulations made in reliance on subsection (2) may, in particular—
(a) make provision about the review of decisions to increase rent;
(b) give rights of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal and amend existing rights of appeal.
(4) Regulations under this section may amend any provision made by or under an Act passed before this Act or in the same Session.
86 Payment by local authority of increased income to Secretary of State
(1) Rent regulations may require a local housing authority to make a payment or payments to the Secretary of State in respect of any estimated increase in rental income because of the regulations.
(2) The amount of a payment is to be calculated in accordance with the regulations.
(3) The regulations may provide for deductions to be made to reflect the administrative costs of local authorities in implementing the regulations.
(4) The regulations may provide for interest to be charged in the event of late payment.
(5) The regulations may provide for assumptions to be made in making a calculation, whether or not those assumptions are, or are likely to be, borne out by events.
(6) The regulations may make provision about how and when payments are to be made including, in particular, provision for payments by instalment.
Rent regulations may give the Secretary of State a power to require a local housing authority to provide information in connection with the regulations.
88 Interaction with other legislation and consequential amendments
(1) The Secretary of State must use the power in section 24(5) of the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016 to provide that section 23 of that Act does not apply to a high income tenant of social housing to whom rent regulations apply.
(2) In section 24 of the Housing Act 1985 (rent), after subsection (5) insert—
(5A) See also Chapter 3 of Part 4 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (rents for high income social tenants in England).
(3) In Part 2 of Schedule 4 to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 (the keeping of the Housing Revenue Account: debits), after item 10 insert—
Item 11: payments under section 86 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016
Any sums payable for the year to the Secretary of State under regulations made in reliance on section 86 of the Housing and Planning Act 2016 (rents for high income social tenants: payment by local authority of increased income to Secretary of State).
89 Private providers: policies for high income social tenants
(1) A private registered provider of social housing that has a policy about levels of rent for high income social tenants in England must publish that policy.
(2) The policy must include provision for requesting reviews of, or appealing, decisions under the policy.
90 HMRC information for private registered providers
(1) HMRC may disclose information for the purpose of enabling a private registered provider of social housing to apply any relevant policy about levels of rent for high income social tenants in England.
(2) The information may only be disclosed to—
(a) the private registered provider of social housing,
(b) the Secretary of State for the purposes of passing the information to registered providers,
(c) a public body that has been given the function of passing information between HMRC and registered providers by regulations under subsection (3), or
(d) a body with which the Secretary of State has made arrangements for the passing of information between HMRC and registered providers.
(3) The Secretary of State may by regulations—
(a) give a public body the function mentioned in subsection (2)(c), and
(b) make provision about the carrying out of that function.
(4) The Secretary of State must obtain HMRC's consent before making—
(a) arrangements under subsection (2)(d), or
(b) regulations under subsection (3).
(5) Information disclosed under this section to the Secretary of State or to a body mentioned in subsection (2)(c) or (d) may be passed on to a registered provider for which it is intended.
(6) Information disclosed under this section may not otherwise be further disclosed without authorisation from HMRC.
(7) Where a person contravenes subsection (6) by disclosing any revenue and customs information relating to a person whose identity—
(a) is specified in the disclosure, or
(b) can be deduced from it,
section 19 of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (wrongful disclosure) applies in relation to that disclosure as it applies in relation to a disclosure of such information in contravention of section 20(9) of that Act.
(8) In this section—
“HMRC” means the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs;
“relevant”, in relation to a private registered provider's policy about levels of rent for high income social tenants in England, means a policy that—
has been published as required by section 89, and
complies with any requirements imposed under subsection (2) of that section;
“revenue and customs information relating to a person” has the meaning given by section 19(2) of the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005;
“tenant” includes prospective tenant.
In this Chapter—
“high income” has the meaning given by regulations under section 81;
“local housing authority” has the meaning given by section 1 of the Housing Act 1985;
“rent” includes payments under a licence to occupy;
“rent regulations” has the meaning given by section 80;
“social housing” has the same meaning as in Part 2 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (see sections 68 and 72 of that Act);
“tenancy” includes a licence to occupy;
“tenant” includes a person who has a licence to occupy.