Leasehold Reform Act 1967

23 Agreements excluding or modifying rights of tenant.E+W

(1)Except as provided by this section, any agreement relating to a tenancy (whether contained in the instrument creating the tenancy or not and whether made before the creation of the tenancy or not) shall be void in so far as it purports to exclude or modify any right to acquire the freehold or an extended lease or right to compensation under this Part of this Act, or provides for the termination or surrender of the tenancy in the event of a tenant acquiring or claiming any such right or for the imposition of any penalty or disability on the tenant in that event.

(2)Subsection (1) above shall not be taken to preclude a tenant from surrendering his tenancy, and shall not—

(a)invalidate any agreement for a tenant to acquire an interest superior to his tenancy or an extended lease on terms different from those provided for by this Part of this Act; or

(b)where a tenant has given notice of his desire to have the freehold or an extended lease under this Part of this Act, invalidate any agreement between the landlord and the tenant that that notice shall cease to be binding or any provision of such an agreement excluding or restricting for a period not exceeding [F1twelve months] the right to give a further notice of either kind with respect to the house or any part of it; or

(c)where a tenant’s right to compensation has accrued, invalidate any agreement as to the amount of the compensation.

(3)Where—

(a)a person, being entitled as tenant of a house to acquire the freehold or an extended lease under this Part of this Act, enters into an agreement without the prior approval of the court for the surrender of his tenancy, or for the acquisition by him of an interest superior to his tenancy or of any extended lease; or

(b)a tenancy having been extended under this Part of this Act, the tenant, on the landlord claiming possession for purposes of redevelopment, enters into an agreement without the prior approval of the court for the surrender of the tenancy;

then on the application of the tenant the county court or any court in which proceedings are brought against him on the agreement may, if in the opinion of the court he is not adequately recompensed under the agreement for his rights under this Part of this Act, set aside or vary the agreement and give such other relief as appears to the court to be just, having regard to the situation and conduct of the parties.

(4)Where a tenant of a house is under this Part of this Act entitled to acquire the freehold or an extended lease, or entitled to the benefit of a previous tenant’s notice of his desire to have the freehold or an extended lease, there may with the approval of the court be granted to him in satisfaction of that right a new tenancy on such terms as may be approved by the court; and, subject to [F2sections 117 to 121 of the Charities Act 2011] and to section 31 below, a tenancy may be so granted by the landlord, and shall be binding on persons entitled to any interest in or charge on the landlord’s estate, notwithstanding that it would not apart from this provision be authorised as against any such persons and notwithstanding any restriction imposed by statute or otherwise on the landlord’s powers of leasing:

Provided that where the existing tenancy is granted after the commencement of this Part of this Act (whether or not it is, by virtue of section 3(3) above, to be treated for other purposes as forming a single tenancy with a previous tenancy) and, the grant being subsequent to the creation of a charge on the landlord’s estate, the existing tenancy is not binding on the persons interested in the charge, a tenancy so granted shall not by virtue of this subsection be binding on those persons.

(5)Where a tenancy is granted by virtue of subsection (4) above,—

(a)the terms of the new tenancy may exclude any right to acquire the freehold under this Part of this Act; and

(b)[F3section 9(1) and (1A) above,] section 14(5) and (6) above and, except in so far as provision is made to the contrary by the terms of the new tenancy, section 16(1) to (6) and section 17(1) to (3) (together with Schedule 2 to this Act and, so far as relevant, subsections (1) to (3) above) shall apply as if the new tenancy were granted by way of extension under this Part of this Act.

(6)Where an instrument extending a tenancy at a low rent, or granting a further tenancy at a low rent in substitution for or in continuance of such a tenancy, contains a statement to the effect that by virtue of subsection (4) above the tenancy is being or has previously been extended in satisfaction of the right to an extended lease under section 14 above, the statement shall be conclusive in favour of any person not being a party to the instrument, unless the statement appears from the instrument to be untrue.

(7)Any person who—

(a)includes or causes to be included in an instrument a statement to the effect mentioned in subsection (6) above, knowing the statement to be untrue; or

(b)executes, or with intent to deceive makes use of, any instrument, knowing that it contains such a statement and that the statement is untrue;

shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months or to a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds or to both.

Textual Amendments

F1Words in s. 23(2)(b) substituted (26.7.2002 for E. and 1.1.2003 for W.) by 2002 c. 15, s. 139(3)(b); S.I. 2002/1912, art. 2(b)(i) (subject to transitional provisions and savings in Sch. 2 of the commencing S.I.); S.I. 2002/3012, art. 2(b)(i) (subject to transitional provisions and savings in Sch. 2 of the commencing S.I.)

F2Words in s. 23(4) substituted (14.3.2012) by Charities Act 2011 (c. 25), s. 355, Sch. 7 para. 15 (with s. 20(2), Sch. 8)