Part 10: Letting by Local Authorities of Vacant High-street premises Procedure preliminary to letting Section 198: Final notice Effect
Subsection (1) sets out the requirements which must be met before a local authority may serve a final letting notice on the landlord, in particular that no tenancy or licence has been entered into in accordance with sections 196 and 197. At the time of serving the final letting notice, the landlord needs to be the person entitled to possession of the premises and who can grant a tenancy of the premises of one year or more (see section 218(6)).
	The combined effect of subsection (1)(b) and subsection (2) is to provide a 2-week window for the local authority to serve the final letting notice after serving an initial notice. This window opens 8 weeks after the initial letting notice takes effect (see subsection (1)(b)).
	Subsection (3) provides the local authority with a 14-week window to complete the procedure for letting. This window is extended where the landlord serves a counter-notice or where the landlord brings an appeal (see sections 201(6) and 202(6)).