Rent Act 1977

In this Act a dwelling-house is referred to as subject to a statutory tenancy when there is a statutory tenant of it.

In subsection (1)(a) above and in Part I of Schedule 1, the phrase “if and so long as he occupies the dwelling-house as his residence” shall be construed as it was immediately before the commencement of this Act (that is to say, in accordance with section 3(2) of the M1Rent Act 1968).

A person who becomes a statutory tenant of a dwelling-house as mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above is, in this Act, referred to as a statutory tenant by virtue of his previous protected tenancy.

A person who becomes a statutory tenant as mentioned in subsection 1(b) above is, in this Act, referred to as a statutory tenant by succession.

So long as he retains possession, a statutory tenant shall observe and be entitled to the benefit of all the terms and conditions of the original contract of tenancy, so far as they are consistent with the provisions of this Act.

It shall be a condition of a statutory tenancy of a dwelling-house that the statutory tenant shall afford to the landlord access to the dwelling-house and all reasonable facilities for executing therein any repairs which the landlord is entitled to execute.

Subject to section 5 of the M2Protection from Eviction Act 1977 (under which at least 4 weeks’ notice to quit is required), a statutory tenant of a dwelling-house shall be entitled to give up possession of the dwelling-house if, and only if, he gives such notice as would have been required under the provisions of the original contract of tenancy, or, if no notice would have been so required, on giving not less than 3 months’ notice.

Notwithstanding anything in the contract of tenancy, a landlord who obtains an order for possession of a dwelling-house as against a statutory tenant shall not be required to give to the statutory tenant any notice to quit.

Part II of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect in relation to the giving up of possession of statutory tenancies and the changing of statutory tenants by agreement.

A tenancy F5which was entered into before 1st April 1990 or (where the dwelling-house under the tenancy had a rateable value on 31st March 1990) is entered into on or after 1st April 1990 in pursuance of a contract made before that date is not a protected tenancy if under the tenancy either no rent is payable or, . . . F6 the rent payable is less then two-thirds of the rateable value which is or was the rateable value of the dwelling-house on the appropriate day.

Subsection (7) of section 4 above shall apply to any amount referred to in subsection (2A) above as it applies to the amount referred to in subsection (4) of that section.

In this Act a tenancy falling within subsection (1) above is referred to as a “tenancy at a low rent”.

In determining whether a long tenancy is a tenancy at a low rent, there shall be disregarded such part (if any) of the sums payable by the tenant as is expressed (in whatever terms) to be payable in respect of rates, F8council tax,services, repairs, maintenance, or insurance, unless it could not have been regarded by the parties as a part so payable.

In subsection (4) above “long tenancy” means a tenancy granted for a term certain exceeding 21 years, other than a tenancy which is, or may become, terminable before the end of that term by notice given to the tenant.

The Secretary of State may by regulations prescribe anything requiring to be prescribed for the purposes of subsection (2) above.

In any proceedings the court may, if of opinion that it is just and equitable to do so, treat a lease as a qualifying shared ownership lease notwithstanding that the condition specified in subsection (2)(g) above is not satisfied.

In this section—

“house” has the same meaning as in Part I of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967;

“housing association” has the same meaning as in the Housing Associations Act 1985; and

“lease” includes an agreement for a lease, and references to the grant of a lease shall be construed accordingly.

A tenancy is not a protected tenancy if under the tenancy the dwelling-house is bona fide let at a rent which includes payments in respect of board or attendance.

For the purposes of subsection (1) above, a dwelling-house shall not be taken to be bona fide let at a rent which includes payments in respect of attendance unless the amount of rent which is fairly attributable to attendance, having regard to the value of the attendance to the tenant, forms a substantial part of the whole rent.

A tenancy is not a protected tenancy if it is granted to a person who is pursuing, or intends to pursue, a course of study provided by a specified educational institution and is so granted either by that institution or by another specified institution or body of persons.

In subsection (1) above “specified” means specified, or of a class specified, for the purposes of this section by regulations made by the Secretary of State by statutory instrument.

A statutory instrument containing any such regulations shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

This section does not apply to a tenancy of a dwelling-house which forms part of a building if the tenancy is granted to a person who, immediately before it was granted, was a protected or statutory tenant of that dwelling-house or of any other dwelling-house in that building.

For the purposes of subsection (2) above, a tenancy shall be treated as being for a term of years certain notwithstanding that it is liable to determination by re-entry or on the happening of any event other than the giving of notice by the landlord to determine the term.

Schedule 2 to this Act shall have effect for the purpose of supplementing this section.

An interest belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown shall not prevent a tenancy from being a protected tenancy or a person from being a statutory tenant if the interest is under the management of the Crown Estate Commissioners.

In subsection (1)(d) “English new towns residuary body” means the Homes and Communities Agency so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to it as mentioned in section 52(1)(a) to (d) of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 F35or the Greater London Authority so far as exercising its new towns and urban development functions .

A tenancy . . . F36 shall not be a protected tenancy at any time when the interest of the landlord under that tenancy belongs to a housing association falling within subsection (3) below; nor shall a person at any time be a statutory tenant of a dwelling-house if the interest of his immediate landlord would belong at that time to such a housing association.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F44

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F46

Subject to sections 24(3) and 143 of this Act, a “regulated tenancy” is, for the purposes of this Act, a protected or statutory tenancy . . . F50

Where a regulated tenancy is followed by a statutory tenancy of the same dwelling-house, the two shall be treated for the purposes of this Act as together constituting one regulated tenancy.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F51

For the avoidance of doubt it is hereby declared that where, for the purpose of determining the rateable value of the separate accommodation, it is necessary to make an apportionment under this Act, regard is to be had to the circumstances mentioned in subsection (1)(a) above.

While the tenant is in possession of the separate accommodation (whether as a protected or statutory tenant), any term or condition of the contract of tenancy terminating or modifying, or providing for the termination or modification of, his right to the use of any of the shared accommodation which is living accommodation shall be of no effect.

Where the terms and conditions of the contract of tenancy are such that at any time during the tenancy the persons in common with whom the tenant is entitled to the use of the shared accommodation could be varied, or their number could be increased, nothing in subsection (3) above shall prevent those terms and conditions from having effect so far as they relate to any such variation or increase.

Without prejudice to the enforcement of any order made under subsection (6) below, while the tenant is in possession of the separate accommodation, no order shall be made for possession of any of the shared accommodation, whether on the application of the immediate landlord of the tenant or on the application of any person under whom that landlord derives title, unless a like order has been made, or is made at the same time, in respect of the separate accommodation; and the provisions of section 98(1) of this Act shall apply accordingly.

No order shall be made under subsection (6) above so as to effect any termination or modification of the rights of the tenant which, apart from subsection (3) above, could not be effected by or under the terms of the contract of tenancy.

In this section “living accommodation” means accommodation of such a nature that the fact that it constitutes or is included in the shared accommodation is (or, if the tenancy has ended, was) sufficient, apart from this section, to prevent the tenancy from constituting a protected tenancy of a dwelling-house.

Nothing in this section shall affect the rights against, and liabilities to, each other of the tenant and any person claiming under him, or of any 2 such persons.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F54

A tenancy shall not be a regulated tenancy if it is a tenancy to which Part II of the M4Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 applies (but this provision is without prejudice to the application of any other provision of this Act to a sub-tenancy of any part of the premises comprised in such a tenancy).

Any question arising under this section as to the proper apportionment or aggregation of any value or values shall be determined by the county court, and the decision of the county court shall be final.

Where, after the date which is the appropriate day in relation to any dwelling-house, the valuation list is altered so as to vary the rateable value of the hereditament of which the dwelling-house consists or forms part and the alteration has effect from a date not later than the appropriate day, the rateable value of the dwelling-house on the appropriate day shall be ascertained as if the value shown in the valuation list on the appropriate day had been the value shown in the list as altered.

This section applies in relation to any other land as it applies in relation to a dwelling-house.

For the purposes of this Act, any land or premises let together with a dwelling-house shall, unless it consists of agricultural land exceeding 2 acres in extent, be treated as part of the dwelling-house.

For the purposes of subsection (1) above “agricultural land” has the meaning set out in section 26(3)(a) of the M5General Rate Act 1967 (exclusion of agricultural land and premises from liability for rating).

Where a rent for a dwelling-house is registered under Part IV of this Act, the rent recoverable for any contractual period of a regulated tenancy of the dwelling-house shall be limited to the rent so registered.

This subsection is subject to the following provisions of this Act: subsection (4) below, F56section 71(3), paragraph 1(3) of Schedule 7, . . . F57 and paragraph 3 of Schedule 20.

Where a limit is imposed by subsection (1) above on the rent recoverable in relation to any contractual period of a regulated tenancy, the amount by which the rent payable under the tenancy exceeds that limit shall, notwithstanding anything in any agreement, be irrecoverable from the tenant.

In this Part of this Act “contractual rent limit” means the limit specified in subsection (1) above.

Schedule 7 to this Act shall have effect for the purpose of providing a special rent limit in relation to certain tenancies which became regulated tenancies by virtue of section 14 of the M6Counter-Inflation Act 1973.

Except as otherwise provided by this Part of this Act, where the rent payable for any statutory period of a regulated tenancy of a dwelling-house would exceed the rent recoverable for the last contractual period thereof, the amount of the excess shall, notwithstanding anything in any agreement, be irrecoverable from the tenant.

The date specified in a notice of increase under subsection (2)(b) above shall not be earlier than the date F61from which the registration of the rent took effect nor earlier than 4 weeks before the service of the notice.

Where no rent for the dwelling-house is registered under Part IV of this Act, sections 46 F62and 47 of this Act shall have effect with respect to the rent recoverable for any statutory period under a regulated tenancy of the dwelling-house.

Where the amount of the recoverable rent is increased by virtue of this section, the increase shall not take effect except in pursuance of a notice of increase served by the landlord on the tenant and specifying the increase and the date from which it is to take effect.

The date specified in a notice of increase under subsection (2) above shall be not earlier than 6 weeks before the service of the notice, and if it is earlier than the service of the notice any rent unpaid shall become due on the day after the service of the notice.

Any reference in this section to a notice of increase is a reference to a notice of increase under section 45(2), F64or 46 of this Act.

A notice of increase must be in the prescribed form.

Notwithstanding that a notice of increase relates to statutory periods, it may be served during a contractual period.

Where a notice of increase is served during a contractual period and the protected tenancy could, by a notice to quit served by the landlord at the same time, be brought to an end before the date specified in the notice of increase, the notice of increase shall operate to convert the protected tenancy into a statutory tenancy as from that date.

If the county court is satisfied that any error or omission in a notice of increase is due to a bona fide mistake on the part of the landlord, the court may by order amend the notice by correcting any errors or supplying any omission therein which, if not corrected or supplied, would render the notice invalid and, if the court so directs, the notice as so amended shall have effect and be deemed to have had effect as a valid notice.

Any amendment of a notice of increase under subsection (5) above may be made on such terms and conditions with respect to arrears of rent or otherwise as appear to the court to be just and reasonable.

No increase of rent which becomes payable by reason of an amendment of a notice of increase under subsection (5) above shall be recoverable in respect of any statutory period which ended more than 6 months before the date of the order making the amendment.

Where any rates in respect of the dwelling-house are borne by the landlord or a superior landlord, any increase or rent shall be disregarded for the purposes of the definition in subsection (1) above if the increase is no more than one corresponding to an increase in the rates borne by the landlord or a superior landlord in respect of the dwelling-house.

This section applies to an agreement with a tenant having security of tenure which is entered into after the commencement of provisions following section 68(2) of the M7Housing Act 1980 if the tenancy has become or, conversion. as the case may be, the previous tenancy became a regulated tenancy by conversion.

Any such agreement which purports to increase the rent payable under a protected tenancy shall, if entered into at a time when no rent is registered for the dwelling-house under Part IV of this Act, be void.

If any such agreement constitutes a grant of a regulated tenancy and is made at a time when no rent is so registered, any excess of the rent payable under the tenancy so granted (for any contractual or statutory period of the tenancy) over the rent limit applicable to the previous tenancy, shall be irrecoverable from the tenant; but this subsection ceases to apply if a rent is subsequently so registered.

This section does not apply to any agreement where the tenant is neither the person who, at the time of the conversion, was the tenant nor a person who might succeed the tenant at that time as a statutory tenant.

Where a rent is registered for the dwelling-house and the registration is subsequently cancelled, this section shall not apply to the agreement submitted to the rent officer in connection with the cancellation nor to any agreement made so as to take effect after the cancellation.

If, in the case of a variation of the terms of a regulated tenancy, there is a failure to observe any of the requirements of section 51, . . . F70 of this Act, any excess of the rent payable under the terms as varied over the terms without the variation shall be irrecoverable from the tenant.

If, in the case of the grant of a tenancy, there is a failure to observe any of those requirements, any excess of the rent payable under the tenancy so granted (for any contractual or any statutory period of the tenancy) over the previous limit shall be irrecoverable from the tenant.

In subsection (2) above the “previous limit” shall be taken to be the amount which (taking account of any previous operation of this section or of section 46 of the M11Housing Finance Act 1972, which is superseded by this section) was recoverable by way of rent for the last rental period of the previous tenancy of the dwelling-house, or which would have been so recoverable if all notices of increase authorised by this Act, the M12Rent Act 1968 and section 37(3) of the Act of 1972 had been served.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F71

Where a tenant has paid on account of rent any amount which, by virtue of this Part of this Act, is irrecoverable by the landlord, the tenant who paid it shall be entitled to recover that amount from the landlord who received it or his personal representatives.

Any amount which a tenant is entitled to recover under subsection (1) above may, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be deducted by the tenant from any rent payable by him to the landlord.

Any person who, in any rent book or similar document, makes an entry showing or purporting to show any tenant as being in arrears in respect of any sum on account of rent which is irrecoverable by virtue of this Part of this Act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F75level 3 on the standard scale, unless he proves that, at the time of the making of the entry, the landlord had a bona fide claim that the sum was recoverable.

If, where any such entry has been made by or on behalf of any landlord, the landlord on being requested by or on behalf of the tenant to do so, refuses or neglects to cause the entry to be deleted within 7 days, the landlord shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F75level 3 on the standard scale, unless he proves that, at the time of the neglect or refusal to cause the entry to be deleted, he had a bona fide claim that the sum was recoverable.

Any such regulations shall be made by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

References in this Part of this Act to rates, in respect of a dwelling-house, include references to such proportion of any rates in respect of a hereditament of which the dwelling-house forms part as may be agreed in writing between the landlord and the tenant or determined by the county court.

Any reference in the following provisions of this Chapter to a registration area includes a reference to an amalgamated registration area and, in relation to such an area, “the constituent authorities” means the local authorities whose areas make up the amalgamated area.

A scheme under section 63 above made for an amalgamated registration area may contain such incidental, transitional and supplementary provisions as appear to the Secretary of State to be necessary or expedient.

An order under this section shall make provision for any expenditure attributable to the provisions of the order to be met by the Secretary of State in such manner as may be specified in the order (whether by way of grant, reimbursement or otherwise); and any expenditure incurred by the Secretary of State by virtue of this subsection shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.

An appeal on any point of law from a decision of a rent assessment committee constituted under Schedule 10 to this Act may be made to the Upper Tribunal.

Subsection (1) does not apply where the rent assessment committee is exercising functions of a leasehold valuation tribunal or a residential property tribunal.

The rent officer for any area shall prepare and keep up to date a register for the purposes of this Part of this Act and shall make the register available for inspection in such place or places and in such manner as may be provided by the scheme made for the area under section 63 of this Act.

A copy of an entry in the register certified under the hand of the rent officer or any person duly authorised by him shall be receivable in evidence in any court and in any proceedings.

A person requiring such a certified copy shall be entitled to obtain it on payment of the prescribed fee.

An application for the registration of a rent for a dwelling-house may be made to the rent officer by the landlord or the tenant, or jointly by the landlord and the tenant, under a regulated tenancy of the dwelling-house.

In subsection (3A) above “hereditament” means a dwelling within the meaning of Part I of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and, subject to that, expressions used in subsection (3A) and in Part I of that Act have the same meaning in that subsection as in that Part.

Notwithstanding anything in subsection (3) above, an application such as is mentioned in that subsection which is made by the landlord alone and is so made within the last 3 months of the period of F1062 years referred to in that subsection may be entertained notwithstanding that that period has not expired.

In this section F109... “relevant date”, in relation to a rent which has been registered under this Part of this Act, means the date from which the registration took effect or, in the case of a registered rent which has been confirmed, the date from which the confirmation (or, where there have been two or more successive confirmations, the last of them) took effect F110but for the purposes of this subsection any registration or confirmation by virtue of section 70A of this Act shall be disregarded.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F109... The provisions of Part I of Schedule 11 to this Act F112as modified by the Regulated Tenancies (Procedure) Regulations 1980 F113and by the Rent Assessment Committees (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 1981 shall have effect with respect to the procedure to be followed on applications for the registration of rents.

The case falls within this subsection if an application under section 67 of this Act has been made before 1st April 1993 but has not been disposed of before that date.

No application may be made under this section after 31st March 1994.

The provisions of Part I of Schedule 11 to this Act (as modified by the Regulated Tenancies (Procedure) Regulations 1980 and by the Rent Assessment Committees (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 1981) shall have effect with respect to the procedure to be followed on applications for the registration of rents.

In this section “relevant date”, in relation to a rent which has been registered under this Part of this Act, has the same meaning as in section 67 of this Act.

For the purposes of the determination it shall be assumed that the number of persons seeking to become tenants of similar dwelling-houses in the locality on the terms (other than those relating to rent) of the regulated tenancy is not substantially greater than the number of such dwelling-houses in the locality which are available for letting on such terms.

In this section “improvement” includes the replacement of any fixture or fitting.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F121

Where in a case falling within section 67A(3) of this Act a rent officer has before him at the same time an application under section 67 and an application under section 67A of this Act and the rent officer proposes to entertain the two applications together, the rent officer shall make a determination in relation to the application under section 67 before making his determination in relation to the application under section 67A; and the reference in subsection (1)(a) above to the existing registered rent shall have effect as a reference to the rent determined on the application under section 67.

The amount to be registered as the rent of any dwelling-house shall include any sums payable by the tenant to the landlord F123in respect of council tax orfor the use of furniture or for services, whether or not those sums are separate from the sums payable for the occupation of the dwelling-house or are payable under separate agreements.

Where any rates in respect of a dwelling-house are borne by the landlord or a superior landlord, the amount to be registered under this Part of this Act as the rent of the dwelling-house shall be the same as if the rates were not so borne; but the fact that they are so borne shall be noted on the register.

The date from which the registration or confirmation of a rent takes effect shall be entered in the register.

As from the date on which the registration of a rent takes effect any previous registration of a rent for the dwelling-house ceases to have effect.

Where a valid notice of increase under any provision of Part Ill of this Act has been served on a tenant and, in consequence of the registration of a rent, part but not the whole of the increase specified in the notice becomes irrecoverable from the tenant, the registration shall not invalidate the notice, but the notice shall, as from the date from which the registration takes effect, have effect as if it specified such part only of the increase as has not become irrecoverable.

The rent agreement may be one providing that the agreement does not take effect unless the application for cancellation of registration is granted.

If F136the application is made under subsection (1) above and the rent officer is satisfied that the rent, or the highest rent, payable under the rent agreement does not exceed a fair rent for the dwelling-house, he shall cancel the registration F137and he shall also cancel the registration if the application is made under subsection (1A) above.

Where F138the application is made under subsection (1) above and under the terms of the rent agreement the sums payable by the tenant to the landlord include any sums varying according to the cost from time to time of any services provided by the landlord or a superior landlord, or of any works of maintenance or repair carried out by the landlord or a superior landlord, the rent officer shall not cancel the registration unless he is satisfied that those terms are reasonable.

F139A cancellation made in pursuance of an application under subsection (1) above shall not take effect until the date when the agreement takes effect; and if the cancellation is registered before that date, the date on which it is to take effect shall be noted on the register.

The cancellation of the registration shall be without prejudice to a further registration of a rent at any time after cancellation.

The rent officer shall notify the applicants of his decision to grant, or to refuse, any application under this section.

Regulations made under this section shall be made by statutory instrument which, except in a case falling within subsection (2) above, shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

References in this Part of this Act to rates, in respect of a dwelling-house, include references to such proportion of any rates in respect of a hereditament of which the dwelling-house forms part as may be agreed in writing between the landlord and the tenant or determined by the county court.

Either the lessor or the lessee under a restricted contract . . . F146 may refer the contract to the F147appropriate tribunal . . . F148.

Where a restricted contract is referred to F149the appropriate tribunal under subsection (1) above they may, by notice in writing served on the lessor, require him to give to them, within such period (not less than 7 days from the date of the service of the notice) as may be specified in the notice, such information as they may reasonably require regarding such of the prescribed particulars relating to the contract as are specified in the notice.

If, within the period specified in a notice under subsection (2) above, the lessor fails without reasonable cause to comply with the provisions of the notice he shall be liable on a first conviction to a fine not exceeding £50 and on a second or subsequent conviction to a fine not exceeding £100.

Proceedings for an offence under this section shall not be instituted otherwise than by the local authority.

Where a restricted contract is referred to F151the appropriate tribunal and the reference is not, before the tribunal have entered upon consideration of it, withdrawn by the party or authority who made it, the tribunal shall consider it.

On the reference of a restricted contract relating to a dwelling for which a rent is registered under Part IV of this Act, the F154appropriate tribunal may not reduce the rent payable under the contract below the amount which would be recoverable from the tenant under a regulated tenancy of the dwelling.

An approval, reduction or increase under this section may be limited to rent payable in respect of a particular period.

In F155subsection (2) above “housing authority”F156means a local housing authority within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985.

The F158president of F159the rent assessment panel shall prepare and keep up to date a register for the purposes of this Part of this Act and shall make the register available for inspection in such place or places and in such manner as the Secretary of State may direct.

Where any rates in respect of a dwelling are borne by the lessor or any person having any title superior to that of the lessor, the amount to be entered in the register under this section as the rent payable for the dwelling shall be the same as if the rates were not so borne; but the fact that they are so borne shall be noted in the register.

The amount to be entered in the register under this section as the rent payable for a dwelling shall include any sums payable by the lessee to the lessor in respect of council tax, whether or not those sums are separate from the sums payable for the occupation of the dwelling or are payable under separate agreements.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F163

A copy of an entry in the register certified under the hand of an officer duly authorised in that behalf by the F164president of the rent assessment panel F165... shall be receivable in evidence in any court and in any proceedings.

A person requiring such a certified copy shall be entitled to obtain it on payment of the prescribed fee.

Every local authority shall, before the expiry of the period of three months beginning of the commencement of paragraph 44 of Schedule 25 to the Housing Act 1980, send to the president of the appropriate rent assessment panel the register previously kept by the authority under this section.

The Chamber President of the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal shall prepare and keep up to date a register for the purposes of this Part of this Act and shall make the register available for inspection in such place or places and in such manner as the Lord Chancellor may direct.

Where any rates in respect of a dwelling are borne by the lessor or any person having any title superior to that of the lessor, the amount to be entered in the register under this section as the rent payable for the dwelling shall be the same as if the rates were not so borne; but the fact that they are so borne shall be noted in the register.

The amount to be entered in the register under this section as the rent payable for a dwelling shall include any sums payable by the lessee to the lessor in respect of council tax, whether or not those sums are separate from the sums payable for the occupation of the dwelling or are payable under separate agreements.

A copy of an entry in the register certified by a member of staff appointed by the Lord Chancellor and duly authorised by the Chamber President of the Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal shall be receivable in evidence in any court and in any proceedings.

A person requiring such a certified copy shall be entitled to obtain it on payment of such fee as may specified by order made by the Lord Chancellor.

The power to make an order under subsection (6) shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

Where the rent payable for any dwelling has been entered in the register under section 79 F168or 79A of this Act the lessor or the lessee . . . F169 may refer the case to the F170appropriate tribunal for reconsideration of the rent so entered.

In subsection (3) above “hereditament” means a dwelling within the meaning of Part I of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and, subject to that, expressions used in subsection (3) and in Part I of that Act (other than “dwelling”) have the same meaning in that subsection as in that Part.

The case falls within this subsection if a reference under section 77 or 80 of this Act has been made before 1st April 1993 but has not been disposed of before that date.

No reference may be made under this section after 31st March 1994.

Where in a case to which subsection (3) above applies a rent tribunal have before them at the same time a reference under section 77 or 80 of this Act and a reference under this section and the rent tribunal propose to entertain the two references together, the tribunal shall approve, reduce or increase the rent under the reference under section 77 or 80 before making their increase in relation to the reference under this section; and the reference in subsection 5(a) above to the existing registered rent shall have effect as a reference to the rent determined on the reference under section 77 or 80.

In this section “hereditament” means a dwelling within the meaning of Part I of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Where subsection (3) of section 79 F177or 79A applies, the amount entered in the register under that section shall be treated for the purposes of this section as increased for any rental period by the amount of the rates for that period, ascertained in accordance with Schedule 5 to this Act.

Where any payment has been made or received in contravention of this section, the amount of the excess shall be recoverable by the person by whom it was paid.

Any person who requires or receives any payment in contravention of this section shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F178level 3 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or both, and, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, the court by which a person is found guilty of an offence under this subsection may order the amount paid in excess to be repaid to the person by whom the payment was made.

Proceedings for an offence under this section shall not be instituted otherwise than by the local authority.

An application under this section must be in the prescribed form, and contain the prescribed particulars.

Cancellation of the registration shall be without prejudice to a further registration of a rent at any time after the cancellation.

The F183appropriate tribunal shall notify the applicant of their decision to grant, or to refuse, any application under this section.

The local authority shall have power to publish information regarding the provisions of this Part, and sections 103 to 106, of this Act.

References in this Part of this Act to a party to a contract include references to any person directly or indirectly deriving title from such a party.

The references in sections 79(3) F194, 79A(3) and 81(2) of this Act to rates, in respect of a dwelling, include references to such proportion of any rates in respect of a hereditament of which the dwelling forms part as may be agreed in writing between the lessor and the lessee or determined by the county court.

In this Part of this Act “housing association tenancy” means a tenancy to which this Part of this Act applies.

In this Part of this Act “housing trust” has the same meaning as in section 15 of this Act.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F203

There shall be a part of the register under Part IV of this Act in which rents may be registered for dwelling-houses which are let, or are, or are to be, available for letting, under a housing association tenancy.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F207

A rent registered in any part of the register for a dwelling-house which becomes, or ceases to be, one subject to a housing association tenancy, shall be as effective as if it were registered in any other part of the register.

Where the rent payable under a tenancy would exceed the rent limit determined in accordance with this Part of this Act, the amount of the excess shall be irrecoverable from the tenant.

Where a rent for the dwelling-house is registered, . . . F208 the rent limit is the rent so registered.

Where any rates in respect of the dwelling-house are borne by the landlord, or a superior landlord, the amount of those rates for any rental period, ascertained in accordance with Schedule 5 to this Act, shall be added to the limit imposed by subsection (2) above, and in this Part of this Act references to the amount of the registered rent include any amount to be added under this subsection.

Where for any period there is a difference between the amount (if any) of the rates borne by the landlord or a superior landlord in respect of the dwelling-house and the amount (if any) so borne in the rental period on which the rent limit is based, the rent limit under this Part of this Act shall be increased or decreased by the amount of the difference.

If at any time, by virtue of subsections (1) and (3) of section 15 of this Act, a tenancy ceases to be one to which this Part of this Act applies and becomes a protected tenancy, that tenancy shall be a regulated tenancy and the housing association which is the landlord under that tenancy shall give notice in writing to the tenant, in such form as may be prescribed, informing him that his tenancy is no longer excluded from protection under this Act.

If, without reasonable excuse, a housing association fails to give notice to a tenant under subsection (1) above within the period of 21 days beginning on the day on which his tenancy becomes a protected tenancy, the association shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £100.

Where an offence under subsection (2) above committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager or secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

Schedule 14 to this Act shall have effect for supplementing this section.

In this section—

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F218

Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, where a housing association tenancy is a weekly or other periodical tenancy, the rent payable to the housing association or, as the case may be, the housing trust or the F219Regulator of Social Housing F220or the Secretary of State. . . (in this section called “the landlord”) may, without the tenancy being terminated, be increased with effect from the beginning of any rental period by a written notice of increase F221specifying the date on which the increase is to take effect and given by the landlord to the tenant not later than four weeks before that date..

Where notice of increase is given under subsection (1) above and the tenant, before the date specified in the notice of increase, gives a valid notice to quit, the notice of increase does not take effect unless the tenant, with the written agreement of the landlord, withdraws his notice to quit before that date.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F223

This section shall apply to a tenancy notwithstanding that the letting took place before the coming into force of this Act.

Nothing in this section shall authorise any rent to be increased above the rent limit, and any reference in section 88 of this Act to the variation by agreement of the rent recoverable under a tenancy shall include a reference to variation under this section.

Where a tenant has paid on account of rent any amount which, by virtue of this Part of this Act, is irrecoverable by the landlord, the tenant who paid it shall be entitled to recover that amount from the landlord who received it or his personal representatives.

Any amount which a tenant is entitled to recover under subsection (1) above may, without prejudice to any other method of recovery, be deducted by the tenant from any rent payable by him to the landlord.

No amount which a tenant is entitled to recover under subsection (1) above shall be recoverable at any time after the expiry of 2 years from the date of payment.

Any person who, in any rent book or similar document, makes an entry showing or purporting to show any tenant as being in arrears in respect of any sum on account of rent which is irrecoverable by virtue of this Part of this Act shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F224level 3 on the standard scale, unless he proves that, at the time of the making of the entry, the landlord had a bona fide claim that the sum was recoverable.

If, where any such entry has been made by or on behalf of any landlord, the landlord on being requested by or on behalf of the tenant to do so, refuses or neglects to cause the entry to be deleted within 7 days, the landlord shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F224level 3 on the standard scale, unless he proves that, at the time of the neglect or refusal to cause the entry to be deleted, he had a bona fide claim that the sum was recoverable.

Where the rent payable under a tenancy is subject to the rent limit specified in section 88(4)(b) of this Act, the landlord shall, on being so requested in writing by the tenant, supply him with a statement in writing of the rent which was payable for the last rental period of the other tenancy referred to in that subsection.

Where an offence under this section committed by a body corporate is proved to have been committed with the consent or connivance of, or to be attributable to any neglect on the part of, any director, manager or secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate or any person who was purporting to act in any such capacity, he as well as the body corporate shall be guilty of that offence and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F225

A county court shall have jurisdiction, either in the course of any proceedings relating to a dwelling-house or on an application made for the purpose by the landlord or the tenant, to determine any question as to the rent limit under this Part of this Act, or as to any matter which is or may become material for determining any such question.

In ascertaining for the purposes of this Part of this Act whether there is any difference with respect to rents or rates between one rental period and another (whether of the same tenancy or not) or the amount of any such difference, any necessary adjustments shall be made to take account of periods of different lengths.

For the purposes of such an adjustment a period of one month shall be treated as equivalent to one-twelfth of a year and a period of a week as equivalent to one-fifty-second of a year.

In this Part of this Act references to registration are, subject to section 87(5) of this Act and unless the context otherwise requires, references to registration pursuant to section 87.

It is hereby declared that any power of giving directions conferred on the Secretary of State by this Part of this Act includes power to vary or revoke directions so given.

If, apart from subsection (1) above, the landlord would be entitled to recover possession of a dwelling-house which is for the time being let on or subject to a regulated tenancy, the court shall make an order for possession if the circumstances of the case are as specified in any of the Cases in Part II of Schedule 15.

Part III of Schedule 15 shall have effect in relation to Case 9 in that Schedule and for determining the relevant date for the purposes of the Cases in Part II of that Schedule.

Part IV of Schedule 15 shall have effect for determining whether, for the purposes of subsection (1)(a) above, suitable alternative accommodation is or will be available for a tenant.

Part V of Schedule 15 shall have effect for the purpose of setting out conditions which are relevant to Cases 11 and 12 of that Schedule.

Notwithstanding anything in section 98 of this Act, the court shall not make an order for possession of a dwelling-house which is for the time being let on or subject to a tenancy to which this section applies unless the court considers it reasonable to make such an order and the circumstances are as specified in any of the Cases (except Case 8) in Part I of Schedule 15 to this Act or in either of the Cases in Schedule 16 to this Act.

If, apart from subsection (2) above, the landlord would be entitled to recover possession of a dwelling-house which is for the time being let on or subject to a tenancy to which this section applies, the court shall make an order for possession if the circumstances are as specified in any of the Cases (except Cases 16 to 18) in Part II of Schedule 15 to this Act.

Subject to subsection (5) below, a court may adjourn for such period or periods as it thinks fit, proceedings for possession of a dwelling-house which is let on a protected tenancy or subject to a statutory tenancy.

On any such adjournment as is referred to in subsection (1) above or any such stay, suspension or postponement as is referred to in subsection (2) above, the court shall, unless it considers that to do so would cause exceptional hardship to the tenant or would otherwise be unreasonable, impose conditions with regard to payment by the tenant of arrears of rent (if any) and rent or payments in respect of occupation after termination of the tenancy (mesne profits) and may impose such other conditions as it thinks fit.

If any such conditions as are referred to in subsection (3) above are complied with, the court may, if it thinks fit, discharge or rescind any such order as is referred to in subsection (2) above.

In any case to which this subsection applies, the spouse or former spouse shall, so long as he or she remains in occupation, have the same rights in relation to, or in connection with, any such adjournment as is referred to in subsection (1) above or any such stay, suspension or postponement as is referred to in subsection (2) above, as he or she would have if those rights of occupation were not affected by the termination of the tenancy.

This section shall not apply if the circumstances are as specified in any of the Cases in Part II of Schedule 15.

If, after a restricted contract has been referred to F232the appropriate tribunal by the lessee . . . F233 under section 77 or 80 of this Act, a notice to quit the dwelling to which the contract relates is served by the lessor on the lessee at any time before the decision of the tribunal is given or within the period of 6 months thereafter, then, subject to sections 105 and 106 of this Act, the notice shall not take effect before the expiry of that period.

Where an application is made under this section, the notice to quit to which the application relates shall not have effect before the determination of the application unless the application is withdrawn.

On an application under this section, F238the appropriate tribunal , after making such inquiry as they think fit and giving to each party an opportunity of being heard or, at his option, of submitting representations in writing, may direct that the notice to quit shall not have effect until the end of such period, not exceeding 6 months from the date on which the notice to quit would have effect apart from the direction, as may be specifed in the direction.

On coming to a determination on an application under this section, F240the appropriate tribunal shall notify the parties of their determination.

Subsections (2) and (3) below apply where a restricted contract has been referred to F241the appropriate tribunal and the period at the end of which a notice to quit will take effect has been determined by virtue of section 103 of this Act or extended under section 104.

No application may be made under section 104 of this Act with respect to a notice to quit if a direction has been given under subsection (2) above reducing the period at the end of which the notice is to take effect.

This section applies to any dwelling-house which is the subject of a restricted contract entered into after the commencement court in certain of section 69 of the M21 Housing Act 1980.

Where a court makes an order for possession of such a dwelling-house, the giving up of possession shall not be postponed (whether by order or any variation, suspension or stay of execution) to a date later than 3 months after the making of the order.

On any such stay, suspension or postponement as is referred to in subsection (2) above, the court shall, unless it considers that to do so would cause exceptional hardship to the lessee or would otherwise be unreasonable, impose conditions with regard to payment by the lessee of arrears of rent (if any) and rent or payments in respect of occupation after termination of the tenancy (mesne profits) and may impose such other conditions as it thinks fit.

In any case to which this subsection applies, the spouse or former spouse shall, so long as he or she remains in occupation, have the same rights in relation to, or in connection with, any such stay, suspension or postponement as is referred to in subsection (2) above, as he or she would have if those rights of occupation were not affected by the termination of the restricted contract.

References in this Part of this Act to a party to a contract include references to any person directly or indirectly deriving title from such a party.

This section applies where a dwelling-house is subject to a statutory tenancy and the landlord wishes to carry out works which can not be carried out without the consent of the tenant.

If the tenant is unwilling to give his consent, then, if F249either of the conditions specified in subsections (3) and (3A) below is satisfied, the county court may, on the application of the landlord, make an order empowering him to enter and carry out the works.

The F251first of the conditions referred to in subsection (2) above is that the works were specified in an application for a F252. . . grant under Chapter I of Part I of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the application has been approved.

The second of those conditions is that assistance was or is to be provided in relation to the carrying out of the works under article 3 of the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance)(England and Wales) Order 2002

An order under subsection (2) above may be made subject to such conditions as to the time at which the works are to be carried out and as to any provision to be made for the accommodation of the tenant and his household while they are carried out as the court may think fit.

Where such an order is made subject to any condition as to time, compliance with that condition shall be deemed to be also compliance with any condition imposed by the F254local housing authority F255under section 37 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

Where a statutorily protected tenancy of a dwelling-house is determined, either as a result of an order for possession or for any other reason, any sub-tenant to whom the dwelling-house or any part of it has been lawfully sublet shall, subject to this Act, be deemed to become the tenant of the landlord on the same terms as if the tenant’s statutorily protected tenancy had continued.

Subject to subsection (6) below, a long tenancy of a dwelling-house which is also a tenancy at a low rent but which, had it not been a tenancy at a low rent, would have been a protected tenancy F283or an assured tenancy, within the meaning of Part I of the Housing Act 1988, shall be treated for the purposes of subsection (2) above as a statutorily protected tenancy.

This section shall apply equally where a protected occupier of a dwelling-house, or part of a dwelling-house, has a relevant licence as defined in the M35Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976, and in this section “tenancy” and all cognate expressions shall be construed accordingly.

If, in a case where section 137(2) of this Act applies, the conditions mentioned in subsection (2) below are fulfilled, the terms on which the sub-tenant is, by virtue of section 137(2), deemed to become the tenant of the landlord shall not include any terms as to the provision by the landlord of furniture or services.

In this section “statutorily protected tenancy” has the F287same meaning as it has for the purposes of section 137(2) of this Act.

If the tenant of a dwelling-house let on or subject to a protected or statutory tenancy sublets any part of the dwelling-house on a protected tenancy, then, subject to subsection (2) below, he shall, within 14 days after the subletting, supply the landlord with a statement in writing of the subletting giving particulars of occupancy, including the rent charged.

Subsection (1) above shall not require the supply of a statement in relation to a subletting of any part of a dwelling-house if the particulars which would be required to be included in the statement as to the rent and other conditions of the sub-tenancy would be the same as in the last statement supplied in accordance with that subsection with respect to a previous subletting ofthat part.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F292

A county court shall have jurisdiction to deal with any claim or other proceedings arising out of any of the provisions of this Act specified in subsection (5) below, notwithstanding that by reason of the amount of the claim or otherwise the case would not, apart from this subsection, be within the jurisdiction of a county court.

If, under any of the provisions of this Act specified in subsection (5) below, a person takes proceedings in the High Court which he could have taken in the county court, he shall not be entitled to recover any costs.

An order under this section may contain such transitional provisions, including provisions to avoid or mitigate hardship, as appear to the Secretary of State to be desirable.

The power to make an order under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument and no such order shall have effect unless it is approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

The Secretary of State may by order provide that, as from such date as may be specified in the order, section 19 of this Act shall not apply to a dwelling the rateable value of which on such day as may be specified in the order exceeds such amount as may be so specified.

The power to make an order under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument and no such order shall have effect unless it is approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

Offences under this Act are punishable summarily.

Proceedings for an offence under this Act . . . F306 may be instituted by any local authority to which section 149 of this Act applies.

Where a dwelling-house is subject to a regulated tenancy, subsection (1) above shall apply also in relation to any document required or authorised by this Act to be served on the landlord by a person other than the tenant.

If for the purpose of any proceedings (whether civil or criminal) brought or intended to be brought under this Act, any person serves upon any such agent or other person as is referred to in paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of subsection (1) above a notice in writing requiring the agent or other person to disclose to him the full name and place of abode or place of business of the landlord, that agent or other person shall forthwith comply with the notice.

If any such agent or other person as is referred to in subsection (3) above fails or refuses forthwith to comply with a notice served on him under that subsection, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding F307level 4 on the standard scale, unless he shows to the satisfaction of the court that he did not know, and could not with reasonable diligence have ascertained, such of the facts required by the notice to be disclosed as were not disclosed by him.

So far as this section relates to Part V or IX or sections 103 to 107, of this Act, references to a landlord and to a tenant shall respectively include references to a lessor and to a lessee as defined by section 85 of this Act.

Except in so far as the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Act to any other enactment shall be taken as referring to that enactment as amended by or under any other enactment, including this Act.

With the exception of Part V, and sections F309102A to 106A, of this Act (which do not apply to the Isles of Scilly) this Act applies to the Isles subject to such exceptions, adaptations and modifications as the Secretary of State may by order direct.

The power to make an order under this section shall be exercisable by statutory instrument which shall be subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

An order under this section may be varied or revoked by a subsequent order.

Subject to sections 13 and 19(5)(b) of this Act this Act shall apply in relation to premises in which there subsists, or at any material time subsisted, a Crown interest as it applies in relation to premises in which no such interest subsists or ever subsisted.

In this section “Crown interest” means an interest which belongs to Her Majesty in right of the Crown or of the Duchy of Lancaster or to the Duchy of Cornwall, or to a government department, or which is held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F310

Subject to subsection (3) below, the enactments specified in Schedule 23 to this Act shall have effect subject to the amendments specified in that Schedule.

The savings and transitional provisions in Schedule 24 to this Act shall have effect.

The inclusion in this Act of any express saving, transitional provision or amendment shall not be taken as prejudicing the operation of F311sections 16(1) and 17(2) of the Interpretation Act 1978 (which relates to the effect of repeals).

Subject to subsection (3) above, the enactments specified in Schedule 25 to this Act (which include enactments which were spent before the passing of this Act) are hereby repealed to the extent specified in the third column of that Schedule.

This Act may be cited as the Rent Act 1977.

This Act shall come into force on the expiry of the period of one month beginning with the date on which it is passed.

This Act does not extend to Scotland or Northern Ireland.