Section 51A — Housing and Planning Act 2016: Landlord which is body corporate: liability of directors etc

Landlord which is body corporate: liability of directors etc 51A 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.