LANDLORD AND TENANT
Essential Reading
Section 1 and 2 (Leasehold estates and licences)
AG Securities Ltd v Vaughan; Antoniades v Villiers [1990] 1 A.C. 417 (the
judgments given in the House of Lords, from pp 453 onwards)
Section 3-5 (Habitability and security of tenure)
• C Bevan ‘Improving housing conditions in the private and social rented
sectors: the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 - fit for habitation
but fit for purpose?’ (2019) 82(5) Modern Law Review 897-921
• P Defoe, A Thompson 'Practical implications / application of the Homes
(Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018' Journal of Housing Law (2020)
23(3), 53-58.
• J. Luba and J. Compton, ‘An end to retaliatory evictions?’ (2015) 19 Landlord
& Tenant Review 113
Additional Reading
Leasehold Estates and Licences
Smith, Property Law (2020), as indicated at relevant points in the handout
Street v Mountford [1985] AC 809.
Global 100 Ltd v Laleva [2021] EWCA Civ 1835
Mikeover Ltd v Brady [1989] 39 E.G. 92
Stribling v Wickham [1989] 27 E.G. 81
S. Bright ‘Street v Mountford Revisited’ in Bright (ed), Landlord and Tenant
Law: Past, Present and Future (2006), pp. 19–39
On property guardians, see Bevan (2023) 139 Law Quarterly Review 79;
Taylor (2022) 73 (AD2) Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 35; Sissons
(2023) 27 Landlord and Tenant Review 64; Taylor (2022) 25 Journal of
Housing Law 33.
Habitability
• Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018, and Government guidance for
landlords, tenants and local authorities available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-fitness-for-human-
habitation-act-2018
• House of Commons Library ‘Housing conditions in the private rented sector
(England)’ (June 2021 7328) available at
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7328/CBP-
7328.pdf
• C. Hunter, Reforming the private rented sector - from Groundhog Day to
action? (2019) 22 JHL 15
,• D. Ormandy and S. Battersby, ‘Landlords' rights trump public health’ (2019)
22 Journal of Housing Law 28
• Citizens Advice, ‘Getting the house in order: How to improve standards in the
private rented sector’ 26 June 2019 available at
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/our-work/policy/policy-research-
topics/housing-policy-research/getting-the-house-in-order-how-to-improve-
standards-in-the-private-rented-sector1/
• D Astin ‘Housing disputes as relationship breakdown: a useful model or an
accommodation with a broken system/’ (2020) Civil Justice Quarterly 39(4)
340
• Housing Ombudsman ‘Spotlight on Damp and Mould’ (Oct 2021)
• J Rugg, D Rhodes, ‘Vulnerability amongst Low-Income Households in
the Private Rented Sector in England’ (University of York (Centre for
Housing Policy) (2018) Available at:
https://www.york.ac.uk/media/chp/documents/2018/Vulnerability-
report.pdf
• J Rugg, D Rhodes, ‘The Evolving Private Rented Sector: Its Contribution and
Potential’ (University of York (Centre for Housing Policy) (2018) Available at:
http://www.nationwidefoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Private-
Rented-Sector-report.pdf pp. 93-100 and section 6.3.1, 6.3.2 on retaliatory
evictions and tenancy information, 6.3.3, 6.4.5
• JUSTICE ‘Solving Housing Disputes’ (2020) Available at
https://justice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/flipbook/27/book.html
• House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government
Committee ‘Private Rented Sector. Fourth Report of Session’ (HC 440 2017–
19) Available at:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcomloc/440/440.
pdf
• M. Bridge, ‘Putting it right? The Law Commission and the condition of
tenanted property’ [1996] Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 342
• JUSTICE ‘Solving Housing Disputes’ (justice.org.uk)
• D Astin ‘Housing Disputes as Relationship Breakdown; a useful model or an
accommodation of a broken system’ (2020) 39(4) Civil Justice Quarterly 340.
(Reviews the JUSTICE report’s recommendation of a Housing Dispute
Service)
• E Griffiths, M Norman ‘Implementing the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016: a
tidy up of housing law, or tectonic shifts for housing rights in Wales?’ (2002)
25(4) Journal Of Housing Law 67
• J. Bibbings, A. Harris, K. Robinson‘The journey to Welsh tenancy rights: a
tenant-centred perspective’ (2022) 25(4) Journal of Housing Law 73
Security of Tenure
• T. Reid, M Stewart ‘The Renters Reform Bill’ (2023)27(3) Landlord and
Tenant Review 48
• House of Commons Library ‘The end of 'no fault' section 21 evictions
(England)’ (08658 July 2021) available at:
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-
8658/CBP-8658.pdf
, • Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government Consultation ‘A new
deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between
landlords and tenants’ (July 2019)
• The Lettings Industry Council ‘Beyond s21. Evidencing need and processing a
model for change’ (October 2020) Available at: https://aa35dbeb-4737-4bc2-
81bc-
2283f77a1702.filesusr.com/ugd/231fc4_da40b101afa0475e99a22e8957a580f
c.pdf?index=true
• Joseph Rowntree ‘Poverty, evictions and forced moves’ (3 August 2017)
Available at: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-evictions-and-forced-moves
• S Neild and E Laurie ‘The private-public divide and horizontality in the English
rental sector’ (2019) Public Law724-745
• S Pascoe ‘The end of the road for human rights in private landowners'
disputes?’ (2017) The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 269
• Kerrigan D ‘Don’t wake papa bear. Understanding media representations of
landlord-tenant relations’ (2022) 26(4) 587
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation Private Rented Sector Resources
• Shelter ‘Shelter calls Renters’ Reform Bill White Paper a “gamechanger” for
private renters - Shelter England’ (June 2022)
White Paper on Reform of PRS
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities ‘A Fairer Private
Rented Sector’ (CP 693, June 2022)
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION
An introductory scenario
Emma owns an apartment. She and Colin sign a document, headed 'Licence agreement' (in
bold letters), giving Colin a right to occupy it for 12 months. A clause adds that Emma will
arrange a cleaner to visit fortnightly. Two months into the agreement, no cleaner has ever been
sent over, but Colin (who is very tidy) doesn’t mind and has not complained.
Colin has found out on the internet that he will enjoy more statutory protection if he has a lease
rather than a licence, but he is not confident that he could have a lease given the heading on
his agreement. He wishes for advice on this matter.
Essential Reading
Section 1 and 2 (Leasehold estates and licences)
AG Securities Ltd v Vaughan; Antoniades v Villiers [1990] 1 A.C. 417 (the
judgments given in the House of Lords, from pp 453 onwards)
Section 3-5 (Habitability and security of tenure)
• C Bevan ‘Improving housing conditions in the private and social rented
sectors: the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 - fit for habitation
but fit for purpose?’ (2019) 82(5) Modern Law Review 897-921
• P Defoe, A Thompson 'Practical implications / application of the Homes
(Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018' Journal of Housing Law (2020)
23(3), 53-58.
• J. Luba and J. Compton, ‘An end to retaliatory evictions?’ (2015) 19 Landlord
& Tenant Review 113
Additional Reading
Leasehold Estates and Licences
Smith, Property Law (2020), as indicated at relevant points in the handout
Street v Mountford [1985] AC 809.
Global 100 Ltd v Laleva [2021] EWCA Civ 1835
Mikeover Ltd v Brady [1989] 39 E.G. 92
Stribling v Wickham [1989] 27 E.G. 81
S. Bright ‘Street v Mountford Revisited’ in Bright (ed), Landlord and Tenant
Law: Past, Present and Future (2006), pp. 19–39
On property guardians, see Bevan (2023) 139 Law Quarterly Review 79;
Taylor (2022) 73 (AD2) Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly 35; Sissons
(2023) 27 Landlord and Tenant Review 64; Taylor (2022) 25 Journal of
Housing Law 33.
Habitability
• Homes Fitness for Human Habitation Act 2018, and Government guidance for
landlords, tenants and local authorities available at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/homes-fitness-for-human-
habitation-act-2018
• House of Commons Library ‘Housing conditions in the private rented sector
(England)’ (June 2021 7328) available at
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-7328/CBP-
7328.pdf
• C. Hunter, Reforming the private rented sector - from Groundhog Day to
action? (2019) 22 JHL 15
,• D. Ormandy and S. Battersby, ‘Landlords' rights trump public health’ (2019)
22 Journal of Housing Law 28
• Citizens Advice, ‘Getting the house in order: How to improve standards in the
private rented sector’ 26 June 2019 available at
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/our-work/policy/policy-research-
topics/housing-policy-research/getting-the-house-in-order-how-to-improve-
standards-in-the-private-rented-sector1/
• D Astin ‘Housing disputes as relationship breakdown: a useful model or an
accommodation with a broken system/’ (2020) Civil Justice Quarterly 39(4)
340
• Housing Ombudsman ‘Spotlight on Damp and Mould’ (Oct 2021)
• J Rugg, D Rhodes, ‘Vulnerability amongst Low-Income Households in
the Private Rented Sector in England’ (University of York (Centre for
Housing Policy) (2018) Available at:
https://www.york.ac.uk/media/chp/documents/2018/Vulnerability-
report.pdf
• J Rugg, D Rhodes, ‘The Evolving Private Rented Sector: Its Contribution and
Potential’ (University of York (Centre for Housing Policy) (2018) Available at:
http://www.nationwidefoundation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Private-
Rented-Sector-report.pdf pp. 93-100 and section 6.3.1, 6.3.2 on retaliatory
evictions and tenancy information, 6.3.3, 6.4.5
• JUSTICE ‘Solving Housing Disputes’ (2020) Available at
https://justice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/flipbook/27/book.html
• House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government
Committee ‘Private Rented Sector. Fourth Report of Session’ (HC 440 2017–
19) Available at:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcomloc/440/440.
• M. Bridge, ‘Putting it right? The Law Commission and the condition of
tenanted property’ [1996] Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 342
• JUSTICE ‘Solving Housing Disputes’ (justice.org.uk)
• D Astin ‘Housing Disputes as Relationship Breakdown; a useful model or an
accommodation of a broken system’ (2020) 39(4) Civil Justice Quarterly 340.
(Reviews the JUSTICE report’s recommendation of a Housing Dispute
Service)
• E Griffiths, M Norman ‘Implementing the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016: a
tidy up of housing law, or tectonic shifts for housing rights in Wales?’ (2002)
25(4) Journal Of Housing Law 67
• J. Bibbings, A. Harris, K. Robinson‘The journey to Welsh tenancy rights: a
tenant-centred perspective’ (2022) 25(4) Journal of Housing Law 73
Security of Tenure
• T. Reid, M Stewart ‘The Renters Reform Bill’ (2023)27(3) Landlord and
Tenant Review 48
• House of Commons Library ‘The end of 'no fault' section 21 evictions
(England)’ (08658 July 2021) available at:
https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-
8658/CBP-8658.pdf
, • Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government Consultation ‘A new
deal for renting: resetting the balance of rights and responsibilities between
landlords and tenants’ (July 2019)
• The Lettings Industry Council ‘Beyond s21. Evidencing need and processing a
model for change’ (October 2020) Available at: https://aa35dbeb-4737-4bc2-
81bc-
2283f77a1702.filesusr.com/ugd/231fc4_da40b101afa0475e99a22e8957a580f
c.pdf?index=true
• Joseph Rowntree ‘Poverty, evictions and forced moves’ (3 August 2017)
Available at: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-evictions-and-forced-moves
• S Neild and E Laurie ‘The private-public divide and horizontality in the English
rental sector’ (2019) Public Law724-745
• S Pascoe ‘The end of the road for human rights in private landowners'
disputes?’ (2017) The Conveyancer and Property Lawyer 269
• Kerrigan D ‘Don’t wake papa bear. Understanding media representations of
landlord-tenant relations’ (2022) 26(4) 587
• Joseph Rowntree Foundation Private Rented Sector Resources
• Shelter ‘Shelter calls Renters’ Reform Bill White Paper a “gamechanger” for
private renters - Shelter England’ (June 2022)
White Paper on Reform of PRS
• Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities ‘A Fairer Private
Rented Sector’ (CP 693, June 2022)
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION
An introductory scenario
Emma owns an apartment. She and Colin sign a document, headed 'Licence agreement' (in
bold letters), giving Colin a right to occupy it for 12 months. A clause adds that Emma will
arrange a cleaner to visit fortnightly. Two months into the agreement, no cleaner has ever been
sent over, but Colin (who is very tidy) doesn’t mind and has not complained.
Colin has found out on the internet that he will enjoy more statutory protection if he has a lease
rather than a licence, but he is not confident that he could have a lease given the heading on
his agreement. He wishes for advice on this matter.
