Fox v Marshall In 1928, a landlord obtained possession of a dwelling-house, which thereupon became decontrolled. He then subdivided it into two, without any structural alterations. The rateable value of the whole house was at all material times over £20 and that of each half under that value, the house being within the metropolitan police area. Upon the coming into force of the 1933 Act, no application was made to register either half of the house as decontrolled.