§ Mr. Dubsasked the Secretary of State for the Environment, of the rent registrations notified by rent officers to his Department as shorthold lettings, how many and what proportion involved fixed-terms (to the nearest year) of (a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years and (d) four or more years, where the landlord was (i) a registered housing association, (ii) a non-registered housing association, (iii) a company, (iv) a private individual and (v) other, for England, greater London, and the rest of England, respectively, for each of the years 1980, 1981 and 1982.
§ Sir George YoungAvailable information is for rent registrations in 1981.
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(a) Fixed term of shorthold: years Less than 1½ 1½to2½ over 2½, less than3½ 3½or more Not stated All ENGLAND AND WALES Number of cases 3,408 1,113 286 234 658 5,699 Percentage (60) (20) (5) (4) (12) (1009
(b) Type of landlord Company Private Individual Other All GREATER LONDON Number of cases 113 252 38 403 Percentage (28) (63) (9) (100) REST OF ENGLAND AND WALES Number of cases 1,003 3,865 394 5,262 Percentage (19) (73) (7) (100) ENGLAND AND WALES Number of cases 1,116 4,117 432 5,665 Percentage (20) (73) (8) (100) For technical reasons, 16 registrations were not included in the analysis of term of shorthold and 50 were not included in the analysis of type of landlord.
Information derived from rent registrations understated the number of shortholds for several reasons. The question on the application form was a voluntary one. Shorthold lettings where a fair rent had already been registered could not be identified until the rent was re-registered which, under the regulations then operating, might not be for up to three years. Rent registration ceased to be a mandatory requirement for shorthold, except in greater London, from 1 December 1981.
Housing associations to which section 15 of the Rent Act 1977 applies, cannot grant shortholds.