{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1996/section-138",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1996/section-138.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1996/52",
  "legislation_title": "Housing Act 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/housing-act-1996",
  "path": "section/138",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "138",
  "heading": "Jurisdiction of county court.",
  "text": "(1) The county court has jurisdiction to determine questions arising under this Chapter and to entertain proceedings brought under this Chapter and claims, for whatever amount, in connection with an introductory tenancy.\n(2) That jurisdiction includes jurisdiction to entertain proceedings as to whether a statement supplied in pursuance of section 136(2)(b) (written statement of certain terms of tenancy) is accurate notwithstanding that no other relief is sought than a declaration.\n(3) If a person takes proceedings in the High Court which, by virtue of this section, he could have taken in the county court, he is not entitled to recover any costs.\n(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in s. 138(1) substituted (22.4.2014) by Crime and Courts Act 2013 (c. 22), s. 61(3), Sch. 9 para. 52; S.I. 2014/954, art. 2(c) (with art. 3) (with transitional provisions and savings in S.I. 2014/956, arts. 3-11)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "S. 138(4)-(6) repealed (3.4.2006) by Constitutional Reform Act 2005 (c. 4), s. 148(1), Sch. 4 para. 257, Sch. 18 Pt. 2; S.I. 2006/1014, art. 2(a), Sch. 1 paras. 11(v), 30(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 138 wholly in force 4.2.1997: s. 138 not in force at Royal Assent, see s. 232(1)-(3); s. 138(4)-(6) in force at 1.10.1996 by S.I. 1996/2402, art. 3 (with transitional provisions and savings in the Sch.); s. 138(1)-(3) in force at 4.2.1997 by S.I. 1997/66, art. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/52/section/138",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:29:46.595645+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}