Section 575 — Housing Act 1985: Meaning of “dwelling” and “house”.

Meaning of “dwelling” and “house”. 575 1 In this Part “ dwelling ” means any house, flat or other unit designed or adapted for living in.

2 For the purposes of this Part a building so designed or adapted is a “ house ” if it is a structure reasonably so called; so that where a building is divided into units so designed or adapted—

a if it is so divided horizontally, or a material part of a unit lies above or below another unit, the units are not houses (though the building as a whole may be),

and b if it is so divided vertically, the units may be houses.

3 Where a house which is divided into flsts or other units is a defective dwelling in respect of which a person is eligible for assistance, the fact that it is so divided shall be disregarded for the purposes of section 538(1)(a) (first condition for assistance by way of reinstatement: that the dwelling is a house).