Search Legislation

Housing Act 1988

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

Housing Act 1988, Section 38 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 29 March 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to Section 38:

  • specified provision(s) savings for amendments by 2018 anaw 1, s. 6, Sch. 6 by S.I. 2019/110 reg. 5

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

  • Act savings and transitional provisions for amendments by S.I. 2022/1166 by S.I. 2022/1172 Regulations

38 Transfer of existing tenancies from public to private sector.E+W

(1)The provisions of subsection (3) below apply in relation to a tenancy which was entered into before, or pursuant to a contract made before, the commencement of this Act if,—

(a)at that commencement or, if it is later, at the time it is entered into, the interest of the landlord is held by a public body (within the meaning of subsection (5) below); and

(b)at some time after that commencement, the interest of the landlord ceases to be so held.

(2)The provisions of subsection (3) below also apply in relation to a tenancy which was entered into before, or pursuant to a contract made before, the commencement of this Act if,—

(a)at the commencement of this Act or, if it is later, at the time it is entered into, it is a housing association tenancy; and

(b)at some time after that commencement, it ceases to be such a tenancy.

(3)[F1Subject to subsections (4) [F2[F3(4ZA), (4A), (4BA)] and (4B),] below] on and after the time referred to in subsection (1)(b) or, as the case may be, subsection (2)(b) above—

(a)the tenancy shall not be capable of being a protected tenancy, a protected occupancy or a housing association tenancy;

(b)the tenancy shall not be capable of being a secure tenancy unless (and only at a time when) the interest of the landlord under the tenancy is (or is again) held by a public body; and

(c)paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to this Act shall not apply in relation to it, and the question whether at any time thereafter it becomes (or remains) an assured tenancy shall be determined accordingly.

(4)In relation to a tenancy under which, at the commencement of this Act or, if it is later, at the time the tenancy is entered into, the interest of the landlord is held by [F4the Commission for the New Towns or a development] corporation, within the meaning of section 80 of the M1Housing Act 1985 [F5and which subsequently ceases to be so held by virtue of a disposal by the Commission for the New Towns made pursuant to a direction under section 37 of the New Towns Act 1981], subsections (1) and (3) above shall have effect as if any reference in subsection (1) above to the commencement of this Act were a reference to—

(a)the date on which expires the period of two years beginning on the day this Act is passed; or

(b)if the Secretary of State by order made by statutory instrument within that period so provides, such other date (whether earlier or later) as may be specified by the order for the purposes of this subsection.

[F6(4ZA)In relation to any time on or after the coming into force of this subsection, subsection (4) applies as if—

(a)the references to the Commission for the New Towns were references to the new towns residuary body;

(b)in the case of a disposal by the English new towns residuary body, the reference to section 37 of the New Towns Act 1981 were a reference to section 47 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008; and

(c)in the case of a disposal by the Welsh new towns residuary body, the words “made pursuant to a direction under section 37 of the New Towns Act 1981” were omitted.]

[F7(4A)Where, by virtue of a disposal falling within subsection (4) above and made before the date which has effect by virtue of paragraph (a) or paragraph (b) of that subsection, the interest of the landlord under a tenancy passes to [F8a private registered provider of social housing or] a [F9registered social landlord (within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985 (see section 5(4) and (5) of that Act))], then, notwithstanding anything in subsection (3) above, so long as the tenancy continues to be held by a body which would have been specified in subsection (1) of section 80 of the Housing Act 1985 if the repeal of provisions of that section effected by this Act had not been made, the tenancy shall continue to be a secure tenancy [F10or a secure contract] and to be capable of being a housing association tenancy.]

[F11(4B)Where, by virtue of a disposal by the Secretary of State made in the exercise by him of functions under Part III of the Housing Associations Act 1985, the interest of the landlord under a secure tenancy [F12or a secure contract] passes to a registered social landlord (within the meaning of the Housing Act 1985) then, notwithstanding anything in subsection (3) above, so long as the tenancy continues to be held by a body which would have been specified in subsection (1) of section 80 of the Housing Act 1985 if the repeal of provisions of that section effected by this Act had not been made, the tenancy shall continue to be a secure tenancy [F13or secure contract] and to be capable of being a housing association tenancy.]

[F14(4BA)The references in subsections (4A) and (4B) to a body which would have been specified in subsection (1) of section 80 of the Housing Act 1985 if the repeal of provisions of that section effected by this Act had not been made includes a reference to the new towns residuary body.]

(5)For the purposes of this section, the interest of a landlord under a tenancy is held by a public body at a time when—

(a)it belongs to a local authority, a [F15development] corporation or an urban development corporation, all within the meaning of section 80 of the Housing Act 1985 [F16or to the English new towns residuary body]; or

[F17(aa)it belongs to a Mayoral development corporation; or]

(b)it belongs to a housing action trust established under Part III of this Act; or

F18(c). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(d)it belongs to Her Majesty in right of the Crown or to a government department or is held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a government department.

[F19(5A) In this section “ new towns residuary body ” means—

(a)in relation to times before the coming into force of this subsection, the Commission for the New Towns; and

(b)in relation to other times—

(i)in relation to England, 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 [F20or the Greater London Authority so far as exercising its new towns and urban development functions] (and any reference to the English new towns residuary body shall be construed accordingly); and

(ii)in relation to Wales, the Welsh Ministers so far as exercising functions in relation to anything transferred (or to be transferred) to them as mentioned in section 36(1)(a)(i) to (iii) of the New Towns Act 1981 (and any reference to the Welsh new towns residuary body shall be construed accordingly).]

(6)In this section—

(a)housing association tenancy” means a tenancy to which Part VI of the M2Rent Act 1977 applies;

(b)protected tenancy” has the same meaning as in that Act; and

(c)protected occupancy” has the same meaning as in the M3Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976.

Textual Amendments

F2Words in s. 38(3) substituted (15.1.1999) by S.I. 1999/61, art. 2, Sch. para. 3(3)(a)

F9Words in s. 38(4A) substituted (1.10.1996) by S.I. 1996/2325, art. 5(1), Sch. 2 para. 18(3)

F11S. 38(4B) inserted (15.1.1999) by S.I. 1999/61, art. 2, Sch. para. 3(3)(b)

F17S. 38(5)(aa) inserted (15.1.2012) by Localism Act 2011 (c. 20), s. 240(1)(l), Sch. 22 para. 27

F18S. 38(5)(c) repealed (1.10.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 152, Sch. 18 Pt. IV (with ss. 137(1), 139(2), 141(1), 143(2)); S.I. 1998/2244, art. 4

Marginal Citations

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

You have chosen to open The Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open the Whole Act

The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

You have chosen to open Schedules only

The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.

Would you like to continue?

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources