Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act 1946

The Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act 1946 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom designed to provide rent control for tenants in furnished dwellings. Prior to the Act, rent control legislation largely focused on unfurnished properties. This left a loophole whereby landlords could charge significantly higher rents for furnished accommodation, effectively circumventing existing rent control measures.

The Act established rent tribunals in local areas to which tenants could apply to have a "fair rent" determined for their furnished dwelling. These tribunals were empowered to set rents based on the characteristics of the property, the level of furnishings provided, and comparable rents in the area. The Act aimed to protect tenants from excessive rents and to provide a degree of security of tenure, as once a fair rent was registered, landlords were restricted in their ability to increase it.

The legislation addressed a specific post-World War II housing shortage and the resulting pressure on rental accommodation, where demand significantly outstripped supply. It was intended as a temporary measure, though its provisions remained in effect, albeit with subsequent amendments and modifications, for many years. The Act was eventually superseded by later legislation, such as the Rent Act 1977, which consolidated and updated rent control provisions. Despite its eventual repeal, the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act 1946 is a significant piece of legislation in the history of UK housing law, demonstrating the government's intervention in the private rental market to protect tenants' rights during a period of housing scarcity.