Somma v Hazelhurst (1978) involved an unmarried couple who rented a room under separate agreements that were argued to be licenses rather than tenancies. The Court of Appeal decided these agreements were indeed licenses, thus excluding them from the Rent Acts' protections.
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🏛️ Court: Court of Appeal (Civil Division) 🗓️ Judgment Date: 3 March 1978 🗂️ Where Reported: [1978] 1 W.L.R. 1014; [1978] 2 All E.R. 1011 📍 Jurisdiction: United Kingdom
⚖️ Legal Principles
1️⃣
License vs Tenancy Distinction: The court ruled on the need to differentiate between licenses and tenancies based on the agreements’ terms and actual intentions, affecting the legal rights of occupants and landlords under the Rent Acts.