Rent Act 1977

1. Introductory Text

2. Part I Preliminary

   1. Protected and statutory tenancies

      1. 1. Protected tenants and tenancies

      2. 2. Statutory tenants and tenancies

      3. 3. Terms and conditions of statutory tenancies

   2. Exceptions

      1. 4. Dwelling-houses above certain rateable values

      2. 5. Tenancies at low rents

      3. 6. Dwelling-houses let with other land

      4. 7. Payments for board or attendance

      5. 8. Lettings to students

      6. 9. Holiday lettings

      7. 10. Agricultural holdings

      8. 11. Licensed premises

      9. 12. Resident landlords

      10. 13. Landlord's interest belonging to Crown

      11. 14. Landlord's interest belonging to local authority, etc

      12. 15. Landlord's interest belonging to housing association, etc

      13. 16. Landlord's interest belonging to housing co-operative

   3. Controlled and regulated tenancies

      1. 17. Controlled tenancies

      2. 18. Regulated tenancies

   4. Restricted contracts

      1. 19. Restricted contracts

      2. 20. Certain unfurnished tenancies to be treated as restricted contracts

   5. Shared accommodation

      1. 21. Tenant sharing accommodation with landlord

      2. 22. Tenant sharing accommodation with person other than landlord

   6. Sublettings

      1. 23. Certain sublettings not to exclude any part of sub-lessor's premises from protection

   7. Business premises

      1. 24. Premises with a business use

   8. Miscellaneous

      1. 25. Rateable value and meaning of " appropriate day "

      2. 26. Land and premises let with dwelling-house

3. Part II Rents under Controlled Tenancies

   1. Rent limit

      1. 27. Rent limit for controlled tenancies

   2. Revision of rent and rent limits

      1. 28. Procedure for increasing rents

      2. 29. Adjustment with respect to rates borne by landlord

      3. 30. Adjustment with respect to services and furniture

      4. 31. Increase for repairs

      5. 32. Increase for improvements

      6. 33. Grant-aided improvements etc

      7. 34. Private street works to count as improvements

      8. 35. Tenant's right to challenge amount of expenditure on improvements or repairs

      9. 36. Variations of rent during protected tenancies

      10. 37. Errors and misrepresentations in notices of increase

   3. Enforcement provisions

      1. 38. Recovery from landlord of sums paid in excess of recoverable rent, etc

      2. 39. Determination by court of recoverable rent of sublet part of dwelling-house subject to controlled tenancy

      3. 40. Rectification of rent book in light of determination of recoverable rent

   4. General provisions

      1. 41. Service of notices, etc

      2. 42. Regulations

      3. 43. Interpretation of Part II

4. Part III Rents under Regulated Tenancies

   1. Regulation of rent

      1. 44. Limit of rent during contractual periods

      2. 45. Limit of rent during statutory periods

      3. 46. Adjustment, with respect to rates, of recoverable rent for statutory periods before registration

      4. 47. Adjustment, with respect to services and furniture, of recoverable rent for statutory periods before registration

      5. 48. Increase, on account of improvements, of recoverable rent for statutory periods before registration

      6. 49. Notices of increase

      7. 50. Private street works to count as improvements

   2. Rent agreements with tenants having security of tenure

      1. 51. Protection of tenants with security of tenure

      2. 52. Protection: special provisions following conversion

      3. 53. Protection where grant-aided improvement is carried out

      4. 54. Failure to comply with provisions for protection of tenants

   3. Phasing of rent increases

      1. 55. General provision for phasing of rent increases

      2. 56. Phasing of rent increases after certain improvements

   4. Enforcement provisions

      1. 57. Recovery from landlord of sums paid in excess of recoverable rent, etc

      2. 58. Rectification of rent books in light of determination of recoverable rent

   5. General provisions

      1. 59. Adjustment for differences in lengths of rental periods

      2. 60. Regulations

      3. 61. Interpretation of Part III

5. Part IV Registration of Rents under Regulated Tenancies

   1. 62. Registration areas

   2. 63. Schemes for appointment of rent officers

   3. 64. Default powers of Secretary of State

   4. 65. Rent assessment committees

   5. 66. Register of rents

   6. 67. Application for registration of rent

   7. 68. Application to rent officer by local authority

   8. 69. Certificates of fair rent

   9. 70. Determination of fair rent

   10. 71. Amount to be registered as rent

   11. 72. Effect of registration of rent

   12. 73. Cancellation of registration of rent

   13. 74. Regulations

   14. 75. Interpretation of Part IV

6. Part V Rents under Restricted Contracts

   1. Rent tribunals

      1. 76. Rent tribunals

   2. Control of rents

      1. 77. Reference of contracts to rent tribunals and obtaining by them of information

      2. 78. Powers of rent tribunals on reference of contracts

      3. 79. Register of rents under restricted contracts

      4. 80. Reconsideration of rent after registration

      5. 81. Effect of registration of rent

   3. Miscellaneous and general

      1. 82. Jurisdiction of rent tribunals

      2. 83. Local authorities for Part V

      3. 84. Regulations

      4. 85. Interpretation of Part V

7. Part VI Rent Limit for Dwellings Let by Housing Associations, Housing Trusts and the Housing Corporation

   1. Registration of rents

      1. 86. Tenancies to which Part VI applies

      2. 87. Rents to be registrable

   2. Rent limit

      1. 88. Rent limit

      2. 89. Phasing of progression to registered rent

      3. 90. Previous rent limit exceeding registered rent: special rent limit

      4. 91. Special rent limit: procedure on application

   3. Conversion to regulated tenancies

      1. 92. Conversion of housing association tenancies into regulated tenancies

   4. Miscellaneous

      1. 93. Increase of rent without notice to quit

      2. 94. Recovery from landlord of sums paid in excess of recoverable rent, etc

      3. 95. Duty of landlord to supply statement of rent under previous tenancy

      4. 96. Supplemental

      5. 97. Interpretation of Part VI

8. Part VII Security of Tenure

   1. Limitations on recovery of possession of dwelling-houses let on protected tenancies or subject to statutory tenancies

      1. 98. Grounds for possession of certain dwelling-houses

      2. 99. Grounds for possession of certain dwelling-houses let to agricultural workers, etc

      3. 100. Extended discretion of court in claims for possession of certain dwelling-houses

      4. 101. Overcrowded dwelling-houses

      5. 102. Compensation for misrepresentation or concealment in Cases 8 and 9

   2. Restricted contracts

      1. 103. Notice to quit served after reference of contract to rent tribunal

      2. 104. Application to tribunal for security of tenure where notice to quit is served

      3. 105. Notices to quit served by owner-occupiers

      4. 106. Reduction of period of notice on account of lessee's default

   3. Miscellaneous

      1. 107. Interpretation of Part VII

9. Part VIII Conversion of Controlled Tenancies into Regulated Tenancies

   1. Dwelling-houses in good repair and provided with standard amenities

      1. 108. Conversion of controlled tenancies

      2. 109. Application for qualification certificate

      3. 110. Certificate of provisional approval

      4. 111. Certificate of fair rent

      5. 112. Registration of rent

      6. 113. Appeal to county court

   2. Phasing of rent increases

      1. 114. Phasing of rent increases after conversion

   3. Miscellaneous

      1. 115. Converted tenancies: modification of Act

      2. 116. Consent of tenant

      3. 117. Regulations

      4. 118. Interpretation of Part VIII

10. Part IX Premiums, etc

    1. 119. Prohibition of premiums and loans on grant of protected tenancies

    2. 120. Prohibition of premiums and loans on assignment of protected tenancies

    3. 121. Tenancies which became regulated by virtue of Counter-Inflation Act 1973

    4. 122. Prohibition of premiums on grant or assignment of rights under restricted contracts

    5. 123. Excessive price for furniture to be treated as premium

    6. 124. Punishment of attempts to obtain from prospective tenants excessive prices for furniture

    7. 125. Recovery of premiums and loans unlawfully required or received

    8. 126. Avoidance of requirements for advance payment of rent in certain cases

    9. 127. Allowable premiums in relation to certain long tenancies

    10. 128. Interpretation of Part IX

11. Part X Mortgages

    1. 129. Mortgages to which Part X applies

    2. 130. Controlled mortgages

    3. 131. Regulated mortgages

    4. 132. Powers of court to mitigate hardship to mortgagors under regulated mortgages

    5. 133. Restrictions applicable to controlled mortgages

    6. 134. Apportionment of controlled mortgages

    7. 135. Recovery of sums paid in excess of permitted rate of interest under controlled mortgage

    8. 136. Interpretation of Part X

12. Part XI General

    1. Sublettings

       1. 137. Effect on sub-tenancy of determination of superior tenancy

       2. 138. Effect on furnished sub-tenancy of determination of superior unfurnished tenancy

       3. 139. Obligation to notify sublettings of dwelling-houses let on or subject to protected or statutory tenancies

    2. Fire Precautions

       1. 140. Modification of Act in relation to fire precautions

    3. Jurisdiction and procedure

       1. 141. County court jurisdiction

       2. 142. Rules as to procedure

    4. Release from provisions of Act

       1. 143. Release from rent regulation

       2. 144. Release from restricted contract provisions

    5. Miscellaneous

       1. 145. Rents of subsidised private houses

       2. 146. Long tenancies at a low rent

       3. 147. Restriction on levy of distress for rent

       4. 148. Implied term in all protected tenancies

    6. Supplemental

       1. 149. Powers of local authorities for purposes of giving information

       2. 150. Prosecution of offences

       3. 151. Service of notices on landlord's agents

       4. 152. Interpretation

       5. 153. Application to Isles of Scilly

       6. 154. Application to Crown property

       7. 155. Modifications, amendments, transitional provisions, repeals etc

       8. 156. Short title, commencement and extent

13. 1. Schedule 1

       Statutory tenancies

       1. PART I Statutory tenants by succession

       2. Part II Relinquishing tenancies and changing tenants

    2. Schedule 2

       Resident landlords

       1. PART I Provisions for determining application of section 12

       2. Part II Tenancies ceasing to fall within section 12

    3. Schedule 3

       Controlled tenancies

       1. PART I 1956 Rateable values

       2. Part II 1939 Rateable values

    4. Schedule 4

       1956 gross value

    5. Schedule 5

       Calculation of amount of rates

    6. Schedule 6

       Adjustment of rent in respect of repairs

       1. PART I Adjustment of rent limit

       2. Part II Abatement for disrepair

    7. Schedule 7

       Rent limit for certain tenancies first regulated by virtue of the Counter-Inflation Act 1973

    8. Schedule 8

       Phasing of rent increases: general provisions

    9. Schedule 9

       Phasing of rent increases: converted tenancies and improvements

    10. Schedule 10

        Rent assessment committees

    11. Schedule 11

        Applications for registration of rents

        1. PART I Application unsupported by certificate of fair rent

        2. Part II Application supported by certificate of fair rent (except where certificate issued by virtue of Part VIII)

        3. Part III Application supported by certificate of fair rent issued by virtue of Part VIII

    12. Schedule 12

        Certificates of fair rent

    13. Schedule 13

        Rent tribunals

    14. Schedule 14

        Conversion of housing association tenancies into regulated tenancies

    15. Schedule 15

        Grounds for possession of dwelling-house let on or subject to protected or statutory tenancies

        1. PART I Cases in which court may order possession

        2. Part II Cases in which court must order possession where dwelling-house subject to regulated tenancy

        3. Part III Provisions applicable to Case 9 and Part II of this Schedule

        4. Part IV Suitable alternative accommodation

    16. Schedule 16

        Further grounds for possession of dwelling-houses let on or subject to tenancies to which section 99 applies

    17. Schedule 17

        Converted tenancies: modification of Act

    18. Schedule 18

        Allowable premiums

        1. PART I Premium allowed on assignment of tenancy where premium lawfully paid on grant

        2. Part II Premium allowed under sections 121 and 127

    19. Schedule 19

        Controlled mortgages

        1. PART I Restrictions relating to interest rates

        2. Part II Restrictions on enforcement of security

    20. Schedule 20

        Modification of Act in relation to fire precautions

    21. Schedule 21

        Rents of subsidised private houses not subject to controlled tenancies

    22. Schedule 22

        Modifications applicable to certain existing protected and statutory tenancies

    23. Schedule 23

        Consequential amendments

    24. Schedule 24

        Transitional provisions and savings

    25. Schedule 25

        Repeals