Rent Act 1977

13 (1) Where it is so agreed in writing between a statutory tenant (“the outgoing tenant”) and a person proposing to occupy the dwelling (“the incoming tenant”), the incoming tenant shall be deemed to be the statutory tenant of the dwelling as from such date as may be specified in the agreement (“the transfer date”). E+W

(2) Such an agreement shall not have effect unless the landlord is a party thereto, and, if the consent of any superior landlord would have been required to an assignment of the previous contractual tenancy, the agreement shall not have effect unless the superior landlord is a party thereto.

(3) If the outgoing tenant is the statutory tenant by virtue of his previous protected tenancy, then, subject to sub-paragraph (6) below, this Act shall have effect, on and after the transfer date, as if the incoming tenant had been a protected tenant and had become the statutory tenant by virtue of his previous protected tenancy.

(4) Subject to sub-paragraphs (5) and (6) below, if the outgoing tenant is a statutory tenant by succession, then, on and after the transfer date—

(a) this Act shall have effect as if the incoming tenant were a statutory tenant by succession, and

(b) the incoming tenant shall be deemed to have become a statutory tenant by virtue of that paragraph of Part I of this Schedule by virtue of which the outgoing tenant became (or is deemed to have become) a statutory tenant.

(5) If the outgoing tenant is a statutory tenant by succession, the agreement may provide that, notwithstanding anything in sub-paragraph (4) above, on and after the transfer date, this Act shall have effect, subject to sub-paragraph (6) below, as if the incoming tenant had been a protected tenant and had become the statutory tenant by virtue of his previous protected tenancy.

(6) Unless the incoming tenant is deemed, by virtue of sub-paragraph (4)(b) above, to have become a statutory tenant by virtue of paragraph 6 or 7 of Part I of this Schedule, paragraphs 5 to 7 of that Part shall not apply where a person has become a statutory tenant by virtue of this paragraph.

(7) In this paragraph “the dwelling” means the aggregate of the premises comprised in the statutory tenancy of the outgoing tenant.