RAISING OF RENTS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3037, 26 March 1917, Page 3

RAISING OF RENTS

LORD RHONDDA DEFILES' THE '. TENANTS' RIGHTS. Lord Rhondda,' President of the Local Government Board,. under the' heading "Increase of Rente,?' recently issued the following notice to local authorities, which explains the working of the "Tent control system in Great Britain:—, ■"'-. ' r Complaints having been received by the Government that the provisions .of the Increase of Rent and Mortgage interest' (War Restrictions) , Act, 1915, are not being sufficiently observed; it is desired to draw attention again to ■the principal of the Act as regards rent and ejectment. Rent may noti be increased.—The landlord of a, dwellinghouse to which the Act applies cannot legally recover payment of rent above that payable on , August 3, 1914, except that rent may be increased: ' , ' ■

(a) To cover cost of improvement or structural alteration (not being decoration or repairs); or ■.■■.-.■■ (b) To, cover'increase in local rates paid by-■tie landlord. Subject'to'the ruling of. the. county Court a-landlord must not transfer to the tenant any burden or liability,(e.g., local rates) previously borne by 'the landlord which ■ makes r the terms of tenancy less favourable'to the tenant. It understood that in_ some cases landlords hare improperly increased the rents and carried the-increase forward as "arrears.'.' Such arrears could not be recovefecKat any time. Tenant may not be Ejected.—So long ae he pays the proper rent and performs the other conditions of his tenancy, a tenant cannot legally he ejected, " .. ■■ (a). He has committed waste or been guilty of a nuisance or annoy- ' once ; to neighbours; of (b) The premises are reasonably required by the landlord for the.. ". occupation of himself or someone '■■ employed \r%* himself or one of •his tenants; or,. •. :. . ' • •'>'• (c) There is some other reason . which is considered sufficient by" the Court for his ejectment. ■ Houses to which the 'Act Applies.— The Act_ applies to a dwellinghouse_ (or a part, if separately let as a dwelling) where the rent or ratable, value of the house; or part did not on. August' 3, 1914, exceed £35 a year in the Metropolitan ■•Police District and the City of London,: £30 in Scotland, and/£26.elsewhere.: The':Act continues' in force.for. eix months; after the end of the war.