Rent Act 1977
1977 c. 42 · 124 provisionsView on legislation.gov.uk
An Act to consolidate the Rent Act 1968, Parts III, IV and VIII of the Housing Finance Act 1972, the Rent Act 1974, sections 7 to 10 of the Housing Rents and Subsidies Act 1975, and certain related enactments, with amendments to give effect to recommendations of the Law Commission.
Our take on Rent Act 1977
Anyone whose private tenancy began before 15 January 1989 may hold a regulated tenancy without knowing it. A rent officer can register a fair rent, set as if homes were not scarce, with most new registrations capped at inflation plus 5%. Possession needs a statutory ground and usually a court finding it reasonable. In our view the trap is paperwork, as a new agreement with the same landlord keeps the protection only if it follows straight on from the old one. When the original tenant dies a partner who lived there takes over, or if there is none, a family member resident for two years gets an assured tenancy in England, where the rent can rise to market level.
- Austin v Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Southwark [2010] UKSC 28
- Berrisford (FC) v Mexfield Housing Co-operative Limited [2011] UKSC 52
- Birmingham City Council v Walker [2007] UKHL 22
- Ghaidan v Godin-Mendoza [2004] UKHL 30
- Loveridge v London Borough of Lambeth [2014] UKSC 65
- McDonald v McDonald and others [2016] UKSC 28
- R v London Borough of Newham and London Borough of Lewisham [2014] UKSC 62
- Secretary of State for Work and Pensions v M [2006] UKHL 11
- Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council v Hickin [2012] UKSC 39
- Test Claimants in the Franked Investment Income Group Litigation and others (Respondents) v Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (Appellant) (1) and (2) [2020] UKSC 47
- Uratemp Ventures Limited v Collins (AP) [2001] UKHL 43
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This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.
Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.