44.Long tenancies are excluded from being occupation contracts. This paragraph defines a long tenancy under the Act as being:
a tenancy that is for a fixed term of more than 21 years (that is, at the outset the parties agreed that the tenancy would last for a specified period of time exceeding 21 years),
a tenancy for a term fixed by law because of a covenant or obligation for perpetual renewal (such as an option for the tenant to renew the tenancy upon expiry, for example to continually renew the tenancy every 5 years), or
a tenancy made under the ‘right to buy’ (Part 5 of the Housing Act 1985) or ‘right to acquire’ (section 17 of the Housing Act 1996).
45.But a tenancy that can be terminated by notice after a death is not a long tenancy (unless it is a shared ownership tenancy - see below).
46.A shared ownership tenancy is a tenancy that relates to a dwelling owned by a registered social landlord where the tenant has purchased a percentage of the property on a leasehold basis and pays rent on the un-owned share. Further shares of the un-owned part can be purchased until potentially the remaining un-owned portion is reduced to nil.