Catalogue description Ministry of Health and successors: Housing Department, later Division: Rent Control, Registered Files (92003 and 91052 Series) and Papers

1. Restrictions on increases in rent of unfurnished residential property and in the rate of interest on a mortgage of such property were imposed originally by the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (War Restrictions) Act 1915. There followed the Courts (Emergency Powers) Act 1917 allowing premiums to be accepted on 21-year leases and upwards, and recovery of overpayments of rent and interest. The Increase of Rent etc., (Amendment) Act 1918, restricted recovery of possession for the landlord's own occupation. A committee (the Hunter Committee) considered rent limits and rent control in 1918, and in 1919 the rent limits of the 1915 Act were doubled by the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act of that year. This measure prolonged the duration of the Acts until 1921. The Increase of Rent etc., (Amendment) Act 1919, revised the grounds upon which possession could be obtained under the 1918 Act.

2. In 1920 the Salisbury Committee, appointed to inquire into the working of the Acts, presented their Report and the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act 1920, was passed to give effect to the Committee's recommendations. This Act repealed previous legislation and was the statute around which was built the subsequent legislation dealing with limitations of rent and security of tenure of tenants of unfurnished residential premises. The Act, which applied to business and professional premises until June 1921 was intended to remain in force for the protection of residential tenants until June 1923, but it was continued until July 1923 by the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Continuance) Act 1923. The Notices of Increase Act 1923, provided that a notice of increase of rent could operate also as a notice to quit.

3. In 1923 the Report of the Onslow Committee recommended this continuance of the Acts. This proposal was accepted by the passing of the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Act 1923 which prolonged the legislation until June 1925, and introduced some decontrol. In 1924 the Prevention of Eviction Act was passed, while the following Acts:-

Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions Continuation) Act 1925

Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1927

Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1928

Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1929

Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1930

Expiring Laws Act 1931 and Expiring Laws Continuance Act 1932

continued control to December 1933.

4. In 1931, the Marley Committee Reported that houses in the higher range of rateable value could be decontrolled and that those in the lower range were being decontrolled too quickly. The resultant Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Amendment) Act 1933 prolonged the operation of the Acts to June 1938, and instituted revised forms of decontrol which in one case involved registration of the premises with local authorities. In 1935 the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act 1935 was passed to clear up an anomaly.

5. In 1937 the Ridley Committee recommended further decontrol incorporated in the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act 1938, again with registration of premises with local authorities. The Local Authorities were County Borough Councils, Borough Councils and Rural District Councils.

6. The threat of war led to the passing of the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Act 1939, which brought under control practically all privately-owned houses let unfurnished at a rack-rent which was below certain amounts of rateable value. Houses brought into control were called "new control" houses and those which had remained subject to the previous control were called "old control" houses. The Act stopped all forms of decontrol and provided for continuance of the Rent Acts until six months after the date declared by Order in Council to be the end of the emergency.

7. The Reserve of Auxiliary Forces (Protection of Civil Interests) Act 1951 included provisions for protecting the interests of persons on National Service.

8. The Crown Lessees (Protection of Sub-Tenants) Act 1952 gave sub-tenants of the Crown the protection of the Rent Acts against their immediate landlords.

9. The Housing Repairs and Rents Act 1954 made more extensive amendments to the Rent Acts by allowing landlords of certain dwellings to claim increases in rent for keeping the property in good repair and for the increased cost of services. It also excluded from the Rent Acts certain lettings (eg. by local authorities and Housing Associations), and houses erected or produced by conversion after 29 August 1954.

10. The Rent Act 1957 introduced the most extensive system of decontrol in the history of the Rent Acts. Houses exceeding certain levels of rateable value were taken out of control altogether with certain safeguards, and provision was made for further decontrol by stages. The Act also provided a revised rent structure based on value for rating.