premium, but reduced the length of excluded tenancies from 21 years or more to 14 years or more. Security of tenure Distress (in Scotland "diligence") could only be levied with consent of the court. Possession could be recovered if the court saw fit on a certain number of grounds, which were widened. The court lost its powers to grant possession on some unspecified but less satisfactory grounds. Succession There was a right of succession by the tenant's widow if she was residing with him at his death or a member of the tenant's family who had been residing with the tenant at the time of his death. A requirement for six months' residence except for a widow was introduced by the 1933 Act. Gradual decontrol 1923 to 1933 Following the report of the Onslow Committee, the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions Act 1923 became the first measure to reverse the machinery of control. Scope of decontrol Premises came out of protection when tenants died or moved away. Sitting tenants remained controlled. The Acts ceased to apply to premises for which a lease or tenancy of not less than two years' duration was granted to a sitting tenant. It extended the grounds for recovery of possession. Furnished tenancies As has been said earlier, the 1915 Act had disapplied the Act where board, attendance, or furniture was provided. The 1923 Act now quantified the amount of attendance or provided furniture so that only substantial provision in rental terms would take the letting out of control. In other words, the value of attendance (personal services provided to the tenant) or the value of the furniture had to form a substantial part of the rental value. Subsequent legislation made minor amendments to previous enactments, and the Expiring Laws Continuance Acts 1927-1932 ensured continuity of the Rent Acts until 1933. Gradual decontrol 1933 The recommendations of the Marley Committee in 1931 were implemented in the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions (Amendment) Act 1933. They had reported that the gradual decontrol inaugurated by the 1923 Act had worked satisfactorily with regard to the medium-sized houses, but too slowly to the largest and too quickly to the smallest. So the 1933 Act divided the dwellings the Acts applied to into three categories. Scope of decontrol The larger houses became decontrolled where both the annual recoverable rent and the rateable value exceeded £45 in London and Scotland and