ABSTRACT
The Rent Act 1977 (RA) is the last in a long line of pieces of legislation enacted since 1915 aimed at protecting residential tenants against results of housing shortage. In order to benefit from the full protection of the RA 1977, as opposed to the protection afforded to restricted contracts, there must be a tenancy. Since 15 January 1989 when the Housing Act 1988 (HA) came into force, new RA tenancies cannot be created except where limited transitional provisions. A statutory tenancy may also arise by succession on the death of the protected tenant. The purpose of the RA 1977 was to provide security to those renting at the lower end of the market and therefore a dwelling-house may be a single room, although not if this room is occupied only as a bedroom. Where the dwelling-house is part only of a property listed on the valuation list, the rateable value should be apportioned.
