PART 7Housing

CHAPTER 2Social housing: tenure reform

Other provisions relating to tenancies of social housing

I1I2C1158Secure and assured tenancies: transfer of tenancy

1

This section applies if the tenants (“the relevant tenants”) under two or more tenancies of dwelling-houses in England (“the existing tenancies”) make a request in writing to the landlord under each existing tenancy asking the landlord to—

a

permit the relevant tenant or tenants under the existing tenancy to surrender it, and

b

grant a new tenancy of the dwelling-house let under the tenancy to another relevant tenant or other relevant tenants.

2

The landlord must comply with the request if the following conditions are met.

3

The first condition is that at least one of the existing tenancies is—

a

a secure tenancy that is not a flexible tenancy, or

b

an assured tenancy—

i

which is not an assured shorthold tenancy, and

ii

under which the landlord is the Regulator of Social Housing, a private registered provider of social housing or a housing trust which is a charity.

4

The second condition is that at least one of the existing tenancies is—

a

a secure tenancy that is a flexible tenancy, or

b

an assured shorthold tenancy under which the landlord is the Regulator of Social Housing, a private registered provider of social housing or a housing trust which is a charity.

5

The third condition is that the remaining existing tenancies (if any) fall within subsection (3) or (4).

6

The fourth condition is that at least one of the existing tenancies to which subsection (3) applies was granted before the day on which this section came into force.

7

The fifth condition is that none of the landlords under the existing tenancies has refused to comply with the request (and see further section 159).

8

Subsection (9) applies where a relevant tenant's existing tenancy is—

a

a secure tenancy that is not a flexible tenancy, or

b

an assured tenancy that is not an assured shorthold tenancy.

9

The new tenancy granted to the relevant tenant pursuant to this section must be—

a

a secure tenancy that is not a flexible tenancy, or

b

an assured tenancy that is not an assured shorthold tenancy,

according to the landlord's capacity to grant a tenancy of either kind.

10

The Secretary of State may by regulations provide that this section does not apply in relation to an assured shorthold tenancy of a kind specified in the regulations.