HOUSING LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 January 1922, Page 2

HOUSING LAW.

IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. POSSESSION OF DWELLINGS. (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Jan. 18. The Housing Amendment Bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on Wednesday night. The Bill contains some important provisions relating to the recovery of the possession of dwellings, and makes some other amendments in the housing law. It increases the maximum prices of dwellings erected by the Government. The Bill was read a first time.

The maximum price ‘of a dwelling erected by the Government under the Housing Act is increased to £ll5O in the case of a wooden house and £1250 in the case of a brick or concrete house. These limits may be exceeded by any amount not exceeding £2OO that may be paid by the purchaser by way of deposit. Provision is made for the creation of a Housing Insurance Fund by the Housing Department. The purchaser of a dwelling is to make payments into this fund in addition to the instalments of purchase money, and the Housing Board will arrange the insurance. The Bill deals with the transfer of dwellings in case of the death of the purchasers or lessees. The executors or administrators will have power, with the consent of the Board, to transfer the dwelling or assign the lease to any qualified person, but the consent of the board will not be necessary in the case of transfer to a beneficiary under a will or to a person claiming by virtue of the intestacy of the deceased. The superintendent is given power to take action for recovery against any person who obtains possession of a dwelling under the Act without consent of the board, other than a person entitled under a will or intestacy. The Bill repeals the provisions of the Acts of 1919 aml 1920 relating to the question of hardship in connection with any claim for possession of a dwellinghouse. Part 1 of the War Legislation Act, 191fi, and its several amendments, restricting the right of an owner to recover possession of a dwelling, are to continue in operation until December 31, 1922, and then expire unless further continued.

A new provision is that no order for recovery of possession of a dwelling, or for the ejectment of a tenant, shall be made except on one or more of the following grounds:— (a) That the tenant has failed to pay rent at the agreed rate or to perform the other conditions of the tenancy. (b) That the tenant has failed to take reasonable care of the premises, or has commitEM waste.

(c) That the tenant has been guilty of condtrct which is a nuisance or an annoyance to adjoining or neighboring occupiers. (d) That the premises are reasonably required by the landlord for his own occupation as a dwelling-house. (e) That an agreement for the sale of the premises has been entered into, to be completed by transfer within one month, from the date thereof, and that the premises are reasonably required by the purchaser for his own occupation as a dwelling house.

(f) That the tenant, by sub-letting the dwelling-house or any part thereof, is making a profit which, having regard to the rent paid by the tenant, is unreasonable.

(g) Any other ground that may be deemed sufficient by the Court making the order.