Dangerous buildings

(1) Where a structure is considered by the Authority or Building Unit to be unable to withstand a hurricane, to be ruinous or so far dilapidated as to have become unfit for use or occupation, or to be from any cause whatever in a structural condition dangerous or prejudicial to the property in, or inhabitants of, the neighbourhood, the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit, may advise the Authority or Building Unit to serve a notice in writing to the owner of such structure requiring him within fourteen days of the service of the notice, to take down, secure, repair or rebuild it, or any part thereof, or otherwise to put it in a state of good repair, as the case may require, to the satisfaction of the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit, within a time to be specified in the notice. (2) Whenever it is made known to the Authority or Building Unit that any internal part of any building, including any wall, partition, or ceiling of any building, is in a state dangerous or prejudicial to any occupier of such building or of any neighbouring building, the Authority or Building Unit shall cause it to be surveyed by the Director or the Technical Director, 37 in the case of a Building Unit, and if the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit, is satisfied, upon such survey and examination that the structure is in a state dangerous or prejudicial to any such occupier, he shall serve a notice in writing on the owner of the structure requiring him forthwith to have it shored up, taken down, secured, repaired, or rebuilt, as the case may require, to the satisfaction of the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit, within a time to be specified in the notice. (3) If the owner fails, within the time specified in any such notice served upon him under sub-sections (1) or (2), to comply with the requirements of the notice, the Authority or Building Unit, or any person authorised by it in writing, may make a complaint thereof before the Court, and the Court may order the owner to carry out the requirements of the notice within a time to be fixed by it in such order. (4) If the order is not complied with within the time therein prescribed, the person on whom such order is made commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of five hundred dollars, and to a further fine of one hundred dollars for every day during the continuance of such non-compliance, and the Authority or Building Unit may, without prejudice to its right to recover such fines, with all convenient speed enter upon the structure and the ground upon which it stands and execute the order. (5) When the order directs the taking down of a neglected structure or any part thereof, the Authority or Building Unit, in executing the order, may remove the materials to a convenient place, and (unless the expenses incurred by the Authority or Building Unit under this section in relation to such structure are paid to them within fourteen days after such removal) sell it or any part thereof as in its discretion think fit. (6) All expenses incurred by the Authority or Building Unit under this section in relation to a structure may be deducted by the Authority or Building Unit out of the proceeds of the sale, 38 and the surplus, if any, shall be paid by the Authority or Building Unit to the owner of the structure on demand and upon proof of title, or the Authority may, if it thinks fit, pay such surplus into the Court to an account to be entitled “in the matter of the Belize Building Act, and of the premises the materials of which were sold under the provisions of the Belize Building Act”. (7) Where the Fire Chief is satisfied that an existing building does not comply with the requirements of this Act with respect to fire safety, and constitutes a grave danger to the safety of the public or of persons using or occupying the building– (a) he shall send to the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit a written certificate to that effect; and (b) the Director or the Technical Director, in the case of a Building Unit shall, within fourteen days of receiving such a certificate from the Fire Chief, cause a notice to be served on the owner of the building if he be known or the occupier if any, requiring such owner or occupier to take such action as may be specified in the notice and stating the period within which such action shall be taken.