AG Securities v Vaughan; Antoniades v Villiers

[1988] 3 All ER 1058
[1990] AC 417

---

(Decision by: Lord Templeman) Court:

Judges: Lord Bridge of Harwich

Lord TemplemanLord Ackner
Lord Oliver of Aylmerton
Lord Jauncey of Tullichettle

Judgment date: 10 November 1988

---

Decision by:
Lord Templeman

My Lords, in each of the two appeals now under consideration, the question is whether the owner of residential accommodation granted a tenancy or granted licences.

In the first appeal, the appellant company, AG Securities, owned a block of flats, Linden Mansions, Hornsey Lane, London. Flat 25 consists of six living rooms in addition to a kitchen and bathroom. The company furnished four living rooms as bedrooms, a fifth as a lounge and a sixth as a sitting room. In 1974 furnished lettings became subject to the Rent Acts. If the company granted exclusive possession of the flat to one single occupier or to two or more occupiers jointly in consideration of periodical payments, the grant would create a tenancy of the flat. If the company granted exclusive possession of one bedroom to four different occupiers with joint use of the lounge, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom, each of the four grants would create a tenancy of one bedroom. Exclusive possession means either exclusive occupation or receipt of rents and profits.

The company entered into separate agreements with four different applicants. Each agreement was in the same form, and was expressed to be made between the company as 'the Owner' and the applicant as 'Licensee'. The agreement contained, inter alia, the following relevant clauses:

'1. THE Owner grants to the Licensee the right to use in common with others who have or may from time to time be granted the like right the flat known as 25 Linden Mansions Hornsey Lane N.6 but without the right to exclusive possession of any part of the said flat TOGETHER with the fixtures furniture furnishings and effects now in the said Flat for six months from the day of 19 and thereafter until determined by either party giving to the other one month's notice in writing to take effect at any time.

2. THE LICENSEE agrees with the Owner as follows:--

(1)

To pay the sum of £ per month for the right to share in the use of the said Flat such sum to be payable by equal monthly instalments on the first day of each month ...

(2)

Not to damage or cause any damage to the walls or floors of the said Flat or to the fixtures furniture furnishings and effects therein.

(3)

To share the use of the said Flat peaceably with and not to impede the use of the said Flat by such other persons not exceeding 3 in number at any one time to whom the Owner has granted or shall from time to time grant Licence to use the said Flat in common with the Licensee and not to impede the use by such other persons of the gas electricity and telephone services supplied to the Flat PROVIDED that each shares the cost of such services.

(4)

If at any time there shall be less than 3 persons authorised by the Owner to use the said Flat in common with the Licensee upon reasonable notice given by the Owner to meet with any prospective licensee nominated by the Owner at the Flat to provide an opportunity to such prospective licensee to agree terms for sharing the costs of services in accordance with Clause 2(3).

(5)

Not to assign this Agreement nor permit any other person except as licensed by the Owner to sleep or reside in or share occupation of the said Flat or any part of it at any time ... '

The flat was kept fully occupied; whenever one agreement was termined the company invited applications to fill the vacancy. The company's agent produced a draft of the agreement to an applicant. The monthly sum payable by the applicant was not necessarily the same as the monthly sum payable by any of the continuing occupiers of the flat because inflation and other factors caused the value of an agreement to fluctuate. The company and its agent gave no directions or explanations about the manner in which the applicant and other persons not exceeding three in number would use the flat in common. The applicant was sent off to the flat to agree terms with the three continuing occupiers. There he would be offered a vacant bedroom and the use of the lounge, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom with the other occupiers, each of whom had his own bedroom. It was the practice that, whenever a bedroom fell vacant on termination of an agreement, each of the three continuing occupiers, in order of seniority, decided whether to change his bedroom. The applicant for the vacancy was then offered the bedroom which the other three least coveted. The applicant, if content, signed his agreement and moved into his bedroom. If he were unable to share the use of the common parts of the flat peaceably he could terminate his agreement, or the other three occupiers could terminate their agreements or prevail on the company to terminate the agreement of the unpopular occupier.

The respondent Mr Vaughan signed an agreement in 1982 to pay £ 86·4366 per month. The respondent Mr Lyons signed an agreement dated 2 March 1984 to pay £ 99 per month. The respondent Mr Russell signed an agreement dated 1 August 1984 to pay £ 125 per month, and the respondent Mr Cook signed an agreement dated 28 January 1985 to pay £ 104 per month. From 28 January 1985 onwards, each of the four respondents occupied one bedroom and shared the use of the lounge, sitting room, kitchen and bathroom.

The respondents claim that, under and by virtue of the four agreements signed by them respectively, they became tenants of the flat. The company contends that each respondent is a licensee.

In the second appeal, the appellant, Mr Antoniades, is the owner of the house, 6 Whiteley Road, Upper Norwood. The attic was converted into furnished residential accommodation comprising a bedroom, a bed-sitting room, kitchen and bathroom. The furniture in the sitting room consisted of a bed-settee, a table-bed, a sideboard and a chair.

The appellants, Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger, spent three months looking for a flat where they could live together. In February 1985 they were shown the attic flat. The bedroom lacked a bed; the appellants expressed a preference for a double bed which Mr Antoniades agreed to provide. Mr Antoniades and Mr Villiers entered into an agreement dated 9 February 1985. The agreement was described as a licence, Mr Antoniades was described as 'the licensor' and Mr Villiers was described as 'the licensee'. The agreement recited that 'the licensor is not willing to grant the licensee exclusive possession of any part of the rooms hereinafter referred to' and that 'the licensee is anxious to secure the use of the rooms notwithstanding that such use be in common with the licensor and such other licensees or invitees as the licensor may permit from time to time to use the said rooms'. The material provisions of the agreement were as follows:

'By this licence the licensor licences the licensee to use (but not exclusively) all those rooms (hereinafter referred to as "the rooms") on the Top flat (one bedroom one bedsitting room, kitchen & bathroom) of the building ... 6, Whiteley Road SE19 ... together with the use of the furniture fixtures and effects now in the rooms (more particularly set out in the schedule of contents annexed hereto) from 14/2/1985 for the sum of £ 87 per calendar month on the following terms and conditions:

1)

The licensee agrees to pay the said sum of £ 87 (on the 14th of each month) monthly in advance ...

3)

The licensee shall use his best endeavours amicably and peaceably to share the use of the rooms with the licensor and with such other licensees or invitees whom the licensor shall from time to time permit to use the rooms and shall not interfere with or otherwise obstruct such shared occupation in any way whatsoever ...

10)

The licensee shall not do or suffer to be done in the rooms any act or thing which may be a nuisance cause of damage or annoyance to the licensor and the other occupiers or users of the rooms ...

12)

The licensee ... will not use the rooms in any illegal or immoral way ...

16)

The licensor shall be entitled at any time to use the rooms together with the licensee and permit other persons to use all of the rooms together with the licensee ...

17)

This licence is personal to the licensee and shall not permit the use of the rooms by any person whatsoever and only the licensor will have the right to use or permit the use of the rooms as described in clause 16. The licensee under no circumstances will have the right to allow any other people of his choice to use the rooms in any way ...

22)

The licensee (occupier) declares that he is over 18 years old and understood this licence ...

23)

The real intention of the parties in all surrounding circumstances is to create this licence which is not coming under the Rent Acts and is binding as written.

24)

This licence represents the entire agreement of the parties and no oral or other agreements were made and no different explanations or representations were made and only agreements in writing will be legally binding.

25)

The licensee read and understood this licence and received copy and the licensee understands that all rooms and all parts of the dwelling will be shared and no exclusive possession of any part of the whole will be allowed to the licensees by the licensor under any circumstances.'

There then followed the schedule of furniture and then a new clause as follows:

'26) Subject to clause 21 this licence may be terminated by one months notice in writing given by either party at any time and the licensor reserves the right of eviction without court order.'

That agreement was signed by Mr Villiers in five places and each of his signatures was witnessed.

Either then or thereafter, Mr Villiers signed an addendum to the agreement whereby Mr Villiers:

'... agrees that the licence signed on 9/2/1985 does not come under the Rent Acts and the flat is for single people sharing and if Mr Villiers marries any occupier of the flat then Mr Villiers will give notice and vacate the flat at 6 Whiteley Rd London SE19. The owner, Mr Antoniades, did not promise any other accommodation in any way. No persons will have exclusive possession of the above flat as agreed.'

Mr Antoniades entered into a separate agreement and a separate addendum with Miss Bridger. The agreement and the addendum were in the same form, bore the same date, were executed on the same day and were signed and witnessed in the same way as the agreement and addendum entered into by Mr Villiers.

Thereupon Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger entered into occupation of the rooms comprised in the agreement. Mr Antoniades has never attempted to use any of the rooms or authorised any other person to use the rooms.

The appellants, Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger, claim that they became tenants of the whole of the attic flat. Mr Antoniades contends that each appellant is a licensee.

My Lords, ever since 1915 the Rent Acts have protected some tenants of residential accommodation with security of tenture and maximum rents. The scope and effect of the Rent Acts have been altered from time to time and the current legislative protection is contained in the Rent Act 1977. Section 1 of the 1977 Act, reproducing earlier enactments, provides:

'Subject to this Part of this Act, a tenancy under which a dwelling-house (which may be a house or part of a house) is let as a separate dwelling is a protected tenancy for the purposes of this Act.'

Parties to an agreement cannot contract out of the Rent Acts; if they were able to do so the Acts would be a dead letter because in a state of housing shortage a person seeking residential accommodation may agree to anything to obtain shelter. The Rent Acts protect a tenant but they do not protect a licensee. Since parties to an agreement cannot contract out of the Rent Acts, a document which expresses the intention, genuine or bogus, of both parties or of one party to create a licence will nevertheless create a tenancy if the rights and obligations enjoyed and imposed satisfy the legal requirements of a tenancy. A person seeking residential accommodation may concur in any expression of intention in order to obtain shelter. Since parties to an agreement cannot contract out of the Rent Acts, a document expressed in the language of a licence must nevertheless be examined and construed by the court in order to decide whether the rights and obligations enjoyed and imposed create a licence or a tenancy. A person seeking residential accommodation may sign a document couched in any language in order to obtain shelter. Since parties to an agreement cannot contract out of the Rent Acts, the grant of a tenancy to two persons jointly cannot be concealed, accidentally or by design, by the creation of two documents in the form of licences. Two persons seeking residential accommodation may sign any number of documents in order to obtain joint shelter. In considering one or more documents for the purpose of deciding whether a tenancy has been created, the court must consider the surrounding circumstances, including any relationship between the prospective occupiers, the course of negotiations and the nature and extent of the accommodation and the intended and actual mode of occupation of the accommodation. If the owner of a one-bedroomed flat granted a licence to a husband to occupy the flat provided he shared the flat with his wife and nobody else and granted a similar licence to the wife provided she shared the flat with the husband and nobody else, the court would be bound to consider the effect of both documents together. If the licence to the husband required him to pay a licence fee of £ 50 per month and the licence to the wife required her to pay a further licence fee of £ 50 per month, the two documents read together in the light of the property to be occupied and the obvious intended mode of occupation would confer exclusive occupation on the husband and wife jointly and a tenancy at the rent of £ 100.

Landlords dislike the Rent Acts and wish to enjoy the benefits of letting property without the burden of the restrictions imposed by the Acts. Landlords believe that the Rent Acts unfairly interfere with freedom of contract and exacerbate the housing shortage. Tenants on the other hand believe that the Acts are a necessary protection against the exploitation of people who do not own the freehold or long leases of their homes. The court lacks the knowledge and the power to form any judgment on these arguments, which fall to be considered and determined by Parliament. The duty of the court is to enforce the Acts and in so doing to observe one principle which is inherent in the Acts and has been long recognised, the principle that parties cannot contract out of the Acts.

The enjoyment of exclusive occupation for a term in consideration of periodical payments creates a tenancy, save in exceptional circumstances not relevant to these appeals: see Street v Mountford [1985] 2 All ER 289 at 300, [1985] AC 809 at 826-827. The grant of one room with exclusive occupation in consideration of a periodic payment creates a tenancy, although if the room is not a dwelling the tenant is not protected by the Rent Acts: see Curl v Angelo [1948] 2 All ER 189 . The grant of one room with exclusive occupation as a dwelling creates a tenancy, but, if a tenant shares some other essential living premises such as a kitchen with his landlord or other persons, the room is not let as a separate dwelling within the meaning of s 1 of the Rent Act 1977: see Neale v Del Soto [1945] 1 All ER 191 , [1945] KB 144 and Cole v Harris [1945] 2 All ER 146 , [1945] KB 474 . Section 21 of the 1977 Act confers some rights on a tenant who shares essential living premises with his landlord, and s 22 confers protection on a tenant who shares some essential living premises with persons other than the landlord.

If, under an agreement, the owner of residential accommodation provides services or attendance and retains possession for that purpose the occupier is a lodger and the agreement creates a licence. Under an agreement for the exclusive occupation of a room or rooms consisting of a dwelling for periodic payments then, save in the exceptional circumstances mentioned in Street v Mountford , a single occupier, if he is not a lodger, must be a tenant. The agreement may provide, expressly or by implication, power for the owner to enter the dwelling to inspect or repair but if the occupier is entitled to the use and enjoyment of the dwelling and is not a lodger he is in exclusive occupation and the agreement creates a tenancy.

Where residential accommodation is occupied by two or more persons the occupiers may be licensees or tenants of the whole or each occupier may be a separate tenant of part. In the present appeals the only question raised is whether the occupiers are licensees or tenants of the whole.

In the first appeal under consideration the company entered into four separate agreements with four separate persons between 1982 and 1985. The agreements were in the same form save that the periodical sum payable under one agreement did not correspond to the sum payable pursuant to any other agreement. The company was not bound to make agreements in the same form or to require any payment. The agreement signed by Mr Vaughan in 1982 did not and could not entitle or compel Mr Vaughan to become a joint tenant of the whole of the flat with Mr Cook in 1985 on the terms of Mr Vaughan's agreement or on the terms of Mr Cook's agreement or on the terms of any other agreement either alone with Mr Cook or together with any other persons. In 1985 Mr Vaughan did not agree to become a joint tenant of the flat with Mr Cook or anybody else. In 1985, in the events which had happened, the company possessed the right reserved to the company by cl 2(3) of Mr Vaughan's agreement to authorise Mr Cook to share the use of the flat in common with Mr Vaughan. In 1985 Mr Vaughan orally agreed with Mr Cook that, if the company authorised Mr Cook to use the flat in common with Mr Vaughan, then Mr Vaughan would allow Mr Cook to occupy a specified bedroom in the flat and share the occupation of the other parts of the flat excluding the other three bedrooms. Mr Vaughan's agreement with the company did not prevent him from entering into this oral agreement with Mr Cook. Under the standard form agreement the company did not retain power to allocate the four bedrooms but delegated this power to the occupiers for the time being. If the occupiers had failed to allocate the bedrooms the company would have been obliged to terminate one or more of the agreements. The respondents claim that they are joint tenants of the flat. No single respondent claims to be a tenant of a bedroom.

The Court of Appeal (Fox and Mustill LJJ, Sir George Waller dissenting) ( [1988] 2 All ER 173 , [1988] 2 WLR 689 ) concluded that the four respondents were jointly entitled to exclusive occupation of the flat. I am unable to agree. If a landlord who owns a three-bedroom flat enters into three separate independent tenancies with three independent tenants each of whom is entitled to one bedroom and to share the common parts, then the three tenants, if they agree, can exclude anyone else from the flat. But they do not enjoy exclusive occupation of the flat jointly under the terms of their tenancies. In the present case, if the four respondents had been jointly entitled to exclusive occupation of the flat then, on the death of one of the respondents, the remaining three would be entitled to joint and exclusive occupation. But, in fact, on the death of one respondent the remaining three would not be entitled to joint and exclusive occupation of the flat. They could not exclude a fourth person nominated by the company. I would allow the appeal.

In the first appeal the four agreements were independent of one another. In the second appeal the two agreements were interdependent. Both would have been signed or neither. The two agreements must therefore be read together. Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger applied to rent the flat jointly and sought and enjoyed joint and exclusive occupation of the whole of the flat. They shared the rights and the obligations imposed by the terms of their occupation. They acquired joint and exclusive occupation of the flat in consideration of periodical payments and they therefore acquired a tenancy jointly. Mr Antoniades required each of them, Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger, to agree to pay one-half of each aggregate periodical payment, but this circumstance cannot convert a tenancy into a licence. A tenancy remains a tenancy even though the landlord may choose to require each of two joint tenants to agree expressly to pay one-half of the rent. The tenancy conferred on Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger the right to occupy the whole flat as their dwelling. Clause 16 reserved to Mr Antoniades the power at any time to go into occupation of the flat jointly with Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger. The exercise of that power would at common law put an end to the exclusive occupation of the flat by Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger, terminate the tenancy of Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger and convert Mr Villiers and Miss Bridges into licensees. But the powers reserved to Mr Antoniades by cl 16 cannot be lawfully exercised because they are inconsistent with the provisions of the Rent Acts.

When Mr Antoniades entered into the agreements dated 9 February 1985 with Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger and when Mr Antoniades allowed Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger to occupy the flat, it is clear from the negotiations which had taken place, from the surrounding circumstances and from subsequent events, that Mr Antoniades did not intend in February 1985, immediately or contemporaneously, to share occupation or to authorise any other person to deprive Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger of exclusive occupation of the flat. Clause 16, if genuine, was a reservation by a landlord of a power at some time during the currency of the tenancy to share occupation with the tenant. The exclusive occupation of the tenant coupled with the payment of rent created a tenancy which at common law could be terminated and converted into a licence as soon as the landlord exercised his power to share occupation. But under the Rent Acts, if a contractual tenancy is terminated, the Acts protect the occupiers from eviction.

If a landlord creates a tenancy under which a flat is let as a separate dwelling the tenancy is a protected tenancy under s 1 of the Rent Act 1977. After the termination of a protected tenancy the protected tenant becomes a statutory tenant under s 2 of the Act. By s 3(1):

'So long as he retains possession, a statutory tenant shall observe and be entitled to the benefit of all the terms and conditions of the original contract of tenancy, so far as they are consistent with the provisions of this Act.'

By s 98 a court shall not make an order for possession of a dwelling house which is subject to a protected tenancy or a statutory tenancy unless the court considers that it is reasonable to make such an order and is satisfied either that alternative accommodation is available or that certain other conditions are satisfied. The landlord cannot dispense with an order of the court and enter into possession in exercise of his common law powers.

Where a landlord creates a tenancy of a flat and reserves the right to go into exclusive occupation at any time of the whole or part of the flat with or without notice, that reservation is inconsistent with the provisions of the Rent Acts and cannot be enforced without an order of the court under s 98. Where a landlord creates a tenancy of a flat and reserves the right to go into occupation of the whole or part of the flat with or without notice, jointly with the existing tenants, that reservation also is inconsistent with the provisions of the Acts. Were it otherwise every tenancy agreement would be labelled a licence and would contract out of the Rent Acts by reserving power to the landlord to share possession with the tenant at any time after the commencement of the term.

Clause 16 is a reservation to Mr Antoniades of the right to go into occupation or to nominate others to enjoy occupation of the whole of the flat jointly with Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger. Until that power is exercised Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger are jointly in exclusive occupation of the whole of the flat making periodical payments and they are therefore tenants. The Rent Act prevents the exercise of a power which would destroy the tenancy of Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger and would deprive them of the exclusive occupation of the flat which they are now enjoying. Clause 16 is inconsistent with the provisions of the Rent Acts.

There is a separate and alternative reason why cl 16 must be ignored. Clause 16 was not a genuine reservation to Mr Antoniades of a power to share the flat and a power to authorise other persons to share the flat. Mr Antoniades did not genuinely intend to exercise the powers save possibly to bring pressure to bear to obtain possession. Clause 16 was only intended to deprive Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger of the protection of the Rent Acts. Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger had no choice in the matter.

In the notes of evidence of his Honour Judge Macnair, Mr Villiers is reported as saying:

'He [Mr Antoniades] kept going on about it being a licence and not in the Rent Act. I didn't know either but was pleased to have a place after 3 or 4 months of chasing.'

The notes of Miss Bridger's evidence include this passage:

'I didn't understand what was meant by exclusive possession or licence. Signed because so glad to move in. Had been looking for 3 months.'

In Street v Mountford [1985] 2 All ER 289 at 299, [1985] AC 809 at 825 I said:

'Although the Rent Acts must not be allowed to alter or influence the construction of an agreement, the court should, in my opinion, be astute to detect and frustrate sham devices and artificial transactions whose only object is to disguise the grant of a tenancy and to evade the Rent Acts.'

It would have been more accurate and less liable to give rise to misunderstandings if I had substituted the word 'pretence' for the references to 'sham devices' and 'artificial transactions'. Street v Mountford was not a case which involved a pretence concerning exclusive possession. The agreement did not mention exclusive possession and the owner conceded that the occupier enjoyed exclusive possession. In Somma v Hazelhurst [1978] 2 All ER 1011 , [1978] 1 WLR 1014 and other cases considered in Street v Mountford the owner wished to let residential accommodation but to avoid the Rent Acts. The occupiers wished to take a letting of residential accommodation. The owner stipulated for the execution of agreements which pretended that exclusive possession was not to be enjoyed by the occupiers. The occupiers were obliged to acquiesce with this pretence in order to obtain the accommodation. In my opinion the occupiers either did not understand the language of the agreements or assumed, justifiably, that in practice the owner would not violate their privacy. The owners real intention was to rely on the language of the agreement to escape the Rent Acts. The owner allowed the occupiers to enjoy jointly exclusive occupation and accepted rent. A tenancy was created. Street v Mountford reasserted three principles. First, parties to an agreement cannot contract out of the Rent Acts. Second, in the absence of special circumstances, not here relevant, the enjoyment of exclusive occupation for a term in consideration of periodic payments creates a tenancy. Third, where the language of licence contradicts the reality of lease, the facts must prevail. The facts must prevail over the language in order that the parties may not contract out of the Rent Acts. In the present case cl 16 was a pretence.

The fact that cl 16 was a pretence appears from its terms and from the negotiations. Clause 16 in terms conferred on Mr Antoniades and other persons the right to share the bedroom occupied by Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger. Clause 16 conferred power on Mr Antoniades to convert the sitting room occupied by Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger into a bedroom which could be jointly occupied by Mr Villiers, Miss Bridger, Mr Antoniades and any person or persons nominated by Mr Antoniades. The facilities in the flat were not suitable for sharing between strangers. The flat, situated in an attic with a sloping roof, was too small for sharing between strangers. If cl 16 had been genuine there would have been some discussion between Mr Antoniades, Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger as to how cl 16 might be operated in practice and in whose favour it was likely to be operated. The addendum imposed on Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger sought to add plausibility to the pretence of sharing by forfeiting the right of Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger to continue to occupy the flat if their double-bedded romance blossomed into wedding bells. Finally and significantly, Mr Antoniades never made any attempt to obtain increased income from the flat by exercising the powers which cl 16 purported to reserve to him. Clause 16 was only designed to disguise the grant of a tenancy and to contract out of the Rent Acts. In this case in the Court of Appeal Bingham LJ said ( [1988] 2 All ER 309 at 317, [1988] 3 WLR 139 at 148):

'The written agreements cannot possibly be construed as giving the occupants (jointly or severally) exclusive possession of the flat or any part of it. They stipulate with reiterated emphasis that the occupants shall not have exclusive possession.'

My Lords, in Street v Mountford [1985] 2 All ER 289 , [1985] AC 809 this House stipulated with reiterated emphasis that an express statement of intention is not decisive and that the court must pay attention to the facts and surrounding circumstances and to what people do as well as to what people say.

In Somma v Hazlehurst [1978] 2 All ER 1011 , [1978] 1 WLR 1014 a young unmarried couple applied to take a double bed-sitting room in order that they might live together. Each signed an agreement to pay £ 38·4380 per month to share the use of the room with the owner and with not more than one other person at any one time. The couple moved into the bed-sitting room and enjoyed exclusive occupation. In terms the owner reserved the right to share living and sleeping quarters with the two applicants. If the couple parted and the youth moved out, the owner could require the damsel to share her living and sleeping quarters with the owner and with a stranger or with one of them or move out herself. The couple enjoyed exclusive occupation until the owner decided to live with them or until one of their agreements was terminated. The right reserved to the owner to require the applicants or one of the applicants to share with the owner or some other third party was contrary to the provisions of the Rent Acts and in addition was, in the circumstances, a pretence intended only to get round the Rent Acts.

In Aldrington Garages Ltd v Fielder (1978) 37 P & CR 461 Mr Fielder and Miss Maxwell applied to take a self-contained flat in order that they might live together. Each signed an agreement to pay £ 54·4317 per month to share the use of the flat with one other person. The couple moved into the flat and enjoyed exclusive occupation. In terms, if the couple parted and Mr Fielder moved out, the owner could require Miss Maxwell to share her living and sleeping quarters with a stranger or move out herself. Mr Fielder and Miss Maxwell enjoyed exclusive occupation unless and until one of their agreements was terminated. The right reserved to the owner to require Miss Maxwell to share with a third party if Mr Fielder's agreement was terminated and to require Mr Fielder to share with a third party if Miss Maxwell's agreement was terminated was contrary to the provisions of the Rent Acts and in addition was, in the circumstances, a pretence intended only to get round the Rent Acts.

In Sturolson & Co v Weniz (1984) 17 HLR 140 the defendant and a friend applied to take a self-contained flat for the occupation of the defendant, his wife and the friend. The defendant and his friend signed agreements to pay £ 100 per month to share the flat with such other persons as might be nominated or approved by the owner from time to time. The defendant, his wife and the friend, moved into the flat and enjoyed exclusive occupation. In terms the defendant and the friend paid between them £ 200 per month for a flat which could be invaded by one or more strangers at any time. The owner's agent gave the game away by saying that the owner was happy so long as he received £ 200 per month from the flat. The defendant and the friend enjoyed exclusive occupation. The right reserved to the owner to require them to share with others was contrary to the provisions of the Rent Acts and was in any event a pretence intended only to get round the Rent Acts.

In Street v Mountford [1985] 2 All ER 289 at 299, [1985] AC 809 at 825 this House disapproved of the decisions of the Court of Appeal in Somma v Hazlehurst [1978] 2 All ER 1011 , [1978] 1 WLR 1014 , Aldrington Garages Ltd v Fielder (1978) 37 P & CR 461 and Sturolson & Co v Weniz (1984) 17 HLR 190 , which held that the occupiers were only licensees and not tenants.

In Crancour Ltd v Merola (1986) 52 P & CR 204 at 214, in which leave was given to defend proceedings under RSC Ord 113, Ralph Gibson LJ referring to the disapproval by this House in Street v Mountford [1985] 2 All ER 289 at 299, [1985] AC 809 at 825 of the decision of the Court of Appeal in Somma v Hazlehurst , said:

'As I understand the reference to the "sham nature of the obligation," namely that of sharing the room in common with other persons nominated by the landlord, the House of Lords is there saying, firstly, that the agreement in that case constituted the grant of exclusive possession; secondly, that the written obligation to share the room was not effective to alter the true nature of the grant; and, thirdly, that, on the facts of the case, it should have been clear to the Court of Appeal that that landlord cannot have intended the term as to sharing occupation to be a true statement of the nature of the possession intended to be enjoyed by the "licensees."'

I agree with this analysis.

In Hadjiloucas v Crean [1987] 3 All ER 1008 , [1988] 1 WLR 1006 two single ladies applied to take a two-roomed flat with kitchen and bathroom. Each signed an agreement to pay £ 260 per month to share the use of the flat with one other person. The two ladies moved into the flat and enjoyed exclusive occupation. In terms, if the agreement of one lady was terminated, the owner could require the other to share the flat with a stranger. The county court judge decided that the agreements only created licences. The Court of Appeal ordered a retrial in order that all the facts might be investigated. Since, however, the two ladies applied for and enjoyed exclusive occupation unless and until one of their agreements was terminated, the ladies acquired a tenancy protected by the Rent Acts. The reservation to the owner of the right at common law to require one of the ladies to share the flat with a stranger was a pretence.

My Lords, in each of the cases which were disapproved by this House in Street v Mountford , and in the second appeal now under consideration, there was, in my opinion, the grant of a joint tenancy for the following reasons. (1) The applicants for the flat applied to rent the flat jointly and to enjoy exclusive occupation. (2) The landlord allowed the applicants jointly to enjoy exclusive occupation and accepted rent. A tenancy was created. (3) The power reserved to the landlord to deprive the applicants of exclusive occupation was inconsistent with the provisions of the Rent Acts. (4) Moreover, in all the circumstances the power which the landlord insisted on to deprive the applicants of exclusive occupation was a pretence only intended to deprive the applicants of the protection of the Rent Acts.

The Court of Appeal (Bingham and Mann LJJ) ( [1988] 2 All ER 309 , [1988] 3 WLR 139 ) decided in the second appeal under consideration that Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger were licensees. I would restore the order of his Honour Judge Macnair, who declared that Mr Villiers and Miss Bridger were tenants protected by the Rent Acts.