Structure of the Act Part 2 – Regulation of Social Housing Accounts Section 141 – Offences
347.This section broadly replicates the effect of aspects of paragraph 19 of Schedule 1 to the 1996 Act.
348.Subsection (1) specifies certain offences in relation to the accounting requirements.
349.Subsection (4)specifies that where one of the offences in subsection (1) is committed by a registered provider, then every officer of the registered provider is guilty of an offence. Subsection (5) specifies that it is a defence for an officer to show that he or she has done everything that could be reasonably expected to ensure compliance by the registered provider.
350.Subsection (6) provides that a person guilty of an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 (currently £5000) on the standard scale.
351.Subsection (7) provides that proceedings for the offences under this section may only be brought by, or with the consent of, either the regulator or the Director of Public Prosecutions.