Regulated tenancies

You probably have a regulated tenancy if you pay rent to a private landlord and your tenancy started before 15 January 1989.

You could be a regulated tenant if you later signed a new tenancy agreement with the same landlord, even if it's at a different address.

You will not be a regulated tenant if you've always lived in the same building as your landlord unless it's a purpose built block of flats.

Regulated tenancies are sometimes called protected tenancies or Rent Act tenancies.

Regulated tenants have strong tenancy rights.

Fair rents

Regulated tenants pay a fair rent which is lower than a market rent.

A fair rent is set by a rent officer at the Valuation Office Agency. This is the maximum rent your landlord can charge you under the tenancy.

Help to pay the rent

If you need help to pay your rent, you can usually claim:

• housing benefit if you (and your partner if you live together) are both pension age

• universal credit if you (or your partner if you live together) are working age

Repairs

Your landlord is responsible for most repairs in your home. They must keep the structure and exterior of your home in good repair. 

Your landlord must also keep any gas, electricity, heating, water and sanitation equipment in good repair.

They must arrange yearly gas safety checks if there's a gas supply. 

You should report problems promptly and allow access to your home for repairs and safety inspections.

Eviction of regulated tenants

You can only be evicted from a regulated tenancy if your landlord gets a court order. 

Your landlord must prove a legal reason for eviction, such as rent arrears. The court must consider if it's reasonable to evict you.  

If you no longer live in the property, they must prove this in court.

Illegal eviction

Eviction of a regulated tenant without a court order is illegal.

Get help from the council if you're illegally evicted or harassed by your landlord.

You may also be able to get legal help from a solicitor to get back into your home or claim compensation. 

Passing on the tenancy if you die

What happens to your tenancy depends on: 

• if it's a joint tenancy

• who lives there with you

• how long they've lived there

• whether you inherited the tenancy from someone else 

Inheriting a tenancy from someone you live with is known as succession.

In many cases, the tenancy can only be passed on once when the original regulated tenant dies but there are exceptions to this rule.

The type of tenancy will change if it passes to a family member who is not your partner. It will become an assured tenancy.

Joint tenancies

The tenancy will continue as a regulated tenancy for the other joint tenant as long as they are living there when you die.

This does not count as a succession. The legal term is 'survivorship'.

If the other joint tenant does not live there, the tenancy will end.

Sole tenancies if you live with a partner

Your tenancy can usually pass to a partner who is living in your home immediately before you die. 

Where this happens, the tenancy will continue as a regulated tenancy.

The exception to this is where you inherited the tenancy from someone else. In this situation, the tenancy will end if you die, unless a second succession is allowed. 

Sole tenancies if you do not live with a partner

Your tenancy can sometimes pass to another family member if you do not have a partner.

Your family member must have lived with you at the property for at least 2 years immediately before you die.  

If more than one family member meets this condition, they can decide between them who succeeds to the tenancy. A court can decide if they can not agree.

When a second succession is allowed

Your tenancy can sometimes pass to another family member if you:

• were the partner of the original tenant

• succeeded to a regulated tenancy when they died  

This can only happen if your family member:

• lived with you for at least 2 years immediately before your death 

• was also a family member of the original tenant

A second succession will always be to an assured tenancy.

Ending your tenancy

Most regulated tenants do not want to end their tenancies because they have stronger rights than other private renters.

Some landlords will try and negotiate an end to the regulated tenancy. They may offer you a cash incentive to leave so they can rent the property out at a higher rent.

Giving notice to end your tenancy

You can end your tenancy by giving your landlord a valid notice to quit. 

This must be in writing and end on the first or last day of a tenancy period.

You must give at least:

• 4 weeks' notice if you pay rent weekly

• 1 month's notice if you pay rent monthly