A rent assessment committee is a tribunal in England and Wales set up under the Rent Acts whose main task is to assess fair and market rents of properties referred to it. There is a statutory right of appeal to the High Court of England and Wales and thence to the Court of Appeal. On the formation of the Residential Property Tribunal Service as a result of the Housing Act 2004 the rent assessment committees became part of that body for administrative purposes, and is therefore now called the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property). Jurisdiction The First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property) has the following jurisdictions: cancellation of a registered rent (s. 81A Rent Act 1977) determination of the terms of a statutory periodic assured tenancy (s. 6 Housing Act 1988) determination of a market rent for an assured tenancy (s. 22 Housing Act 1988) questions concerning purchase notices questions concerning acquisition orders Membership The First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property) normally consists of two or three persons from the local Rent Assessment Panel selected by the president (or in their absence a vice-president) of the Panel. At least one member, who will chair the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property), must be a president or vice-president of the panel or a lawyer appointed by the Lord Chancellor. The president or vice-president of a panel may direct that certain cases, or classes of cases, may be heard by a single chairman sitting alone and any application to cancel a registered rent because the property is no longer subject to a restricted contract will be heard by a single chairman. Appeals An appeal may be made, usually on a point of law only, to the High Court of England and Wales. The First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber - Residential Property) may also be required to sign and state a case for the opinion of the High Court. There is an approved procedure for such an appeal. Appeals on points of law are made to the Administrative Court of the High Court using a Part 8 Claim Form with the appropriate fee. Appeals may also be made on procedural irregularities by way of judicial review. A further appeal may then be made to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales. Procedure Procedure is informal and there are few procedural rules. The procedure is