FAIR RENTS ACT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 2 September 1942, Page 4

FAIR RENTS ACT

RECOURSE TO COURTS TO FIX BASIC RENT j “What the Legislature contemplated 1 that the tenant should have as of right, i he can often secure only through legal process.” states the annual report of the Labour Department, in commenting on the operation of the Fair Rents Act. “The principle of the Act was to peg rents of dwelling-houses at the rent payable in November, 1935, and. in the case of flats, at the rent payable in June. 1939. These rents, both described as the ‘basic rent.' were to be adhered to: but a procedure was set out for determination by a magistrate of a ‘fair rent.’ while a fair rent could be agreed on in writing by landlord and tenant. “Owing to the lapse of time since the Act was passed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure evidence regard ing the basic rent. Thus, whereas previously it was possible for a tenant to secure his rights merely by maintaining payment of the known basic rent, it is now often necessary to resort to court proceedings to fix a fair rent." The report states that inspectors continue to be consulted extensively, though the bulk of the inquiries are confined to Auckland and Wellington cities, which accounted for 80 per cent, of cases dealt with in 1941-42. In Auek land, by reason of a policy of renewal of agreements between landlords and tenants fixing fair rents, a considerable number of cases consisted of the review of agreements previously approved. Nevertheless, many entirely new cases received attention. Inspectors of factories are empowered to act on behalf of tenants in proceedings under the Act. and the numbers of tenants availing themselves of this service in the year under review were 3439 in Auckland and 1632 in Wellington.