Section 56 requires that a relevant person must include in the advertisement or offer the specific amount of rent that is to be payable under the letting ("the proposed rent"). The section also prohibits a relevant person from inviting, encouraging or accepting any offer of rent which exceeds the proposed rent. This requirement and prohibition apply to all assured tenancies other than assured tenancies of social housing or supported accommodation.
	Subsection (1) outlines the definition of a proposed letting. The provision applies in circumstances where a dwelling is to be let on an agreement which may give rise to an assured tenancy – other than assured tenancies of social housing or supported accommodation.
	Subsection (2) outlines the circumstances by which a relevant person must publish the rental price of the proposed letting. A specific amount of rent that is to be payable under the letting must be included in any written advertisement or offer for the proposed letting.
	Subsection (3)(a) prohibits a person from inviting or encouraging any person to offer to pay an amount of rent that exceeds the proposed rent in the advertisement or offer for that proposed letting.
	Subsection (3)(b) prohibits a person from accepting, from any person, an offer of rent that exceeds the proposed rent in the advertisement or offer of that proposed letting.
	Subsection (4) provides the definition of a stated rent for the purposes of subsections (3a) and (3b).
	Subsection (5) sets out exemptions to the requirement for a relevant person to publish the advertised price: that this does not apply to a sign displayed at the dwelling, which merely advertises that the dwelling is to let.
	Subsection (6) provides that a breach of subsections (2) and (3), that is the requirement to publish a specific amount of rent and not to invite, encourage, or accept offers of rent above this, does not affect the validity of the letting. It also sets out the definitions of what is meant by a "relevant person". A "relevant person" (who would be subject to the requirement and prohibition explained above) is the prospective landlord or a person acting or purporting to act on the prospective landlord’s behalf, such as a letting agent.
Part 1: Tenancy reform Chapter 6: Stating the proposed rent and rental bidding Section 56: Requirement to state rent and avoid rental bidding Effect