Section 25: Ruinous buildings

25. Ruinous buildings (1) Where any building— (a) has become waste and ruinous; (b) has become the receptacle for filth and other nuisances; (c) has become unsafe and unfit for use and occupation; (d) cannot be rebuilt or disposed of without the consent of the owner; or (e) is allowed to remain in a waste and ruinous or unsafe state in consequence of the owner being unable, unwilling or delaying to agree as to the sale or rebuilding of the building, the local authority may, after issuing a notice to the owner to make the necessary repairs and where the order is not complied with, and after the expiry of the delay specified in the notice, apply to a Judge in Chambers for an order for the sale of the building. (2) The Judge shall issue an order calling all interested parties to appear before him, and if the parties have not, within a period not exceeding one month to be fixed by the Judge, agreed to sell or repair the building, the Judge shall authorise the local authority to prosecute the sale before the Master and Registrar of the Supreme Court. (3) (a) The sale shall be carried on at the suit of the local authority, in the same manner and form as for the sale of any small immovable property belonging to a bankrupt and sold by public auction before the Master and Registrar. (b) One of the conditions of the sale shall be that the purchaser shall— (i) pull down, rebuild or repair the building; or (ii) make it fit for use and occupation, to the satisfaction of the local authority, and within the time fixed in the said conditions.