Section 74 — Housing Act 1985: False statements, withholding information and failure to disclose change of circumstances.

False statements, withholding information and failure to disclose change of circumstances. 74 1 If a person with intent to induce a local housing authority to believe, in connection with the exercise of their functions under this Part, that he or another person—

a is homeless or threatened with homelessness, or b has a priority need, or c did not become homeless or threatened with homelessness intentionally, knowingly or recklessly makes a statement which is false in a material particular, or knowingly withholds information which the authority have reasonably required him to give in connection with the exercise of those functions, he commits a summary offence.

2 If before an applicant receives notification of the local housing authority’s decision on his application there is any change of facts material to his case, he shall notify the authority as soon as possible; and the authority shall explain to every applicant, in ordinary language, the duty imposed on him by this subsection and the effect of subsection (3).

3 A person who fails to comply with subsection (2) commits a summary offence unless he shows that he was not given the explanation required by that subsection or that he had some other reasonable excuse for non-compliance.

4 A person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.