Permanent Dwellings Or Those Unsuitable Exempt From House-Letting Bill

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 1, 25 November 1947, Page 5

Permanent Dwellings Or Those Unsuitable Exempt From House-Letting Bill

Legislation to provide for the compulsory letting of unoccupied houses is contained in part 11. of the Fair Rents Amendment Bill, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday. The Bill specifically exempts any dwelling in which the owner or tenant ordinarily resides and which is his permanent home, or any dwelling that by reason of its construction or location is not suitabe for permanent occupation.

Part 11. of the bill deals entirely with the letting of unoccupied houses. If a local authority is satisfied that any house within its district is unoccupied and has for 28 days or more been unoccupied or only occasionally occupied, it may serve on the owner a notice in writing requiring him to, let it either furnished or unfurnished at the option of the owner.

The owner or any other person having an interest in the property may appeal to the local authority concerned within 14 days. The appeal shall be heard in a Magistrate’s Court and the decision of the Court is final. On default by the owner,’ the house may be let by the State Advances Corporation within 14 days after the service of the notice or after the determination of the appeal. Unless the owner notifies the corporation .to the contrary, the letting of any house under this part of the Act may include any furniture.. The corporation shall pay to the owner rent less commission as fixed by the corporation, but not exceeding 5 per cent, and- less expenses in respect of the house or any chattels found therein, whether for rates, insurance, rent or repairs or otherwise.

Part I. of the Bill stipulates that the basic rent of a house is not to be increased because of the addition of furniture unless application is first made to the Court and its consent obtained to a higher rental. The Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, explained that this clause had been inserted to check abuses where landlords had installed a few sticks of furniture and then increased the rent.