- Latest available (Revised)
- Original (As enacted)
Housing Act 1996
You are here:
- UK Public General Acts
- 1996 c. 52
- Part V
- Chapter 1A
- General provisions
What Version
Advanced Features
- Show Geographical Extent(e.g. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland)
- Show Timeline of Changes
Opening Options
More Resources
Changes over time for: Cross Heading: General provisions
Alternative versions:
Changes to legislation:
Housing Act 1996, Cross Heading: General provisions is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 01 May 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.
Changes to Legislation
Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.
Changes and effects yet to be applied to Part V Chapter I Crossheading General-provisionsn1:
- specified provision(s) savings for amendments by 2018 anaw 1, s. 6, Sch. 6 by S.I. 2019/110 reg. 5
Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:
- Act savings and transitional provisions for amendments by S.I. 2022/1166 by S.I. 2022/1172 Regulations
Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):
- s. 124(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 20(2)
- s. 124(6) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 20(6)
- s. 124A 124B inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 21
- s. 125A(3A)(3B) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 22(3)
- s. 130A inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 7
- s. 133(1A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 9(2)
- s. 143J(3A) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 13(2)
- s. 143J(7)(a) words omitted by S.I. 2022/1166 reg. 25(11)(b) (This amendment comes into force immediately after 2016 c. 22, s. 120 and Sch. 8 para. 13(3) come into force)
- s. 143GA 143GB inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 8 para. 10
- s. 143MA(3A)-(3D) inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 27(3)
- s. 143MB inserted by 2016 c. 22 Sch. 7 para. 28
[F1General provisionsE+W
Textual Amendments
F1Pt. 5 Ch. 1A inserted (30.6.2004 for E., 30.9.2004 for W. for specified purposes, 30.4.2005 for W. so far as not already in force) by Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 (c. 38), s. 93, Sch. 1 para. 1; S.I. 2004/1502, art. 2(a)(iii); S.I. 2004/2557, art. 2(a)(ii); S.I. 2005/1225, art. 2(b)
Demoted tenancies [F2: England] E+W
Textual Amendments
F2Word in Pt. 5 Ch. 1A heading inserted (1.12.2022) by The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1166), regs. 1(1), 25(7) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2022/1172, regs. 4-7, 19)
143ADemoted tenanciesE+W
(1)This section applies to a periodic tenancy of a dwelling-house [F3in England] if each of the following conditions is satisfied.
(2)The first condition is that the landlord is either a local housing authority or a housing action trust.
(3)The second condition is that the tenant condition in section 81 of the Housing Act 1985 is satisfied.
(4)The third condition is that the tenancy is created by virtue of a demotion order under section 82A of that Act.
(5)In this Chapter—
(a)a tenancy to which this section applies is referred to as a demoted tenancy;
(b)references to demoted tenants must be construed accordingly.
Textual Amendments
F3Words in s. 143A(1) inserted (1.12.2022) by The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 (Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1166), regs. 1(1), 25(8) (with savings and transitional provisions in S.I. 2022/1172, regs. 4-7, 19)
Duration of demoted tenancyE+W
143BDuration of demoted tenancyE+W
(1)A demoted tenancy becomes a secure tenancy at the end of the period of one year (the demotion period) starting with the day the demotion order takes effect; but this is subject to subsections (2) to (5).
(2)A tenancy ceases to be a demoted tenancy if any of the following paragraphs applies—
(a)either of the first or second conditions in section 143A ceases to be satisfied;
(b)the demotion order is quashed;
(c)the tenant dies and no one is entitled to succeed to the tenancy.
(3)If at any time before the end of the demotion period the landlord serves a notice of proceedings for possession of the dwelling-house subsection (4) applies.
(4)The tenancy continues as a demoted tenancy until the end of the demotion period or (if later) until any of the following occurs—
(a)the notice of proceedings is withdrawn by the landlord;
(b)the proceedings are determined in favour of the tenant;
(c)the period of 6 months beginning with the date on which the notice is served ends and no proceedings for possession have been brought.
(5)A tenancy does not come to an end merely because it ceases to be a demoted tenancy.
Change of landlordE+W
143CChange of landlordE+W
(1)A tenancy continues to be a demoted tenancy for the duration of the demotion period if—
(a)at the time the demoted tenancy is created the interest of the landlord belongs to a local housing authority or a housing action trust, and
(b)during the demotion period the interest of the landlord transfers to another person who is a local housing authority or a housing action trust.
(2)Subsections (3) and (4) apply if—
(a)at the time the demoted tenancy is created the interest of the landlord belongs to a local housing authority or a housing action trust, and
(b)during the demotion period the interest of the landlord transfers to a person who is not such a body.
(3)If the new landlord is [F4a private registered provider of social housing,] a registered social landlord or a person who does not satisfy the landlord condition the tenancy becomes an assured shorthold tenancy.
[F5(4)If the new landlord—
(a)is neither a private registered provider of social housing nor a registered social landlord, and
(b)satisfies the landlord condition,
the tenancy becomes a secure tenancy.]
(5)The landlord condition must be construed in accordance with section 80 of the Housing Act 1985.]
Textual Amendments
F4Words in s. 143C(3) inserted (1.4.2010) by The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/866), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 98(2) (with art. 6, Sch. 3)
F5S. 143C(4) substituted (1.4.2010) by The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/866), art. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 98(3) (with art. 6, Sch. 3)
Options/Help
Print Options
PrintThe Whole Act
PrintThe Whole Part
PrintThe Whole Chapter
PrintThis Cross Heading only
You have chosen to open The Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act as a PDF
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open The Whole Act without Schedules as a PDF
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act
The Whole Act you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open the Whole Act without Schedules
The Whole Act without Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
You have chosen to open Schedules only
The Schedules you have selected contains over 200 provisions and might take some time to download. You may also experience some issues with your browser, such as an alert box that a script is taking a long time to run.
Would you like to continue?
Legislation is available in different versions:
Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.
Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.
See additional information alongside the content
Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.
Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.
Opening Options
Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once
More Resources
Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- correction slips
- links to related legislation and further information resources
Impact Assessments
Impact Assessments generally accompany all UK Government interventions of a regulatory nature that affect the private sector, civil society organisations and public services. They apply regardless of whether the regulation originates from a domestic or international source and can accompany primary (Acts etc) and secondary legislation (SIs). An Impact Assessment allows those with an interest in the policy area to understand:
- Why the government is proposing to intervene;
- The main options the government is considering, and which one is preferred;
- How and to what extent new policies may impact on them; and,
- The estimated costs and benefits of proposed measures.
Timeline of Changes
This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.
More Resources
Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:
- the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
- correction slips
Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:
- lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
- confers power and blanket amendment details
- all formats of all associated documents
- links to related legislation and further information resources
All content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. This site additionally contains content derived from EUR-Lex, reused under the terms of the Commission Decision 2011/833/EU on the reuse of documents from the EU institutions. For more information see the EUR-Lex public statement on re-use.