HOUSE RENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 230, 27 September 1911, Page 6

HOUSE RENTS.

FIGURES FOR THE FOUR CENTRES.

An interesting Parliamentary return presented to the House yesterday was that showing the average weekly rents paid for dwellings in certain selected boroughs at the census taken in April last. The following are some of the figures:—

Four Six EUlit liooms. Rooms. Rooms, s. d. s. cl. s. d. Auckland .. 10 0.0-1 1(5 2.8 22 -4.03 Wellington 14 4.2' i2O 11.58 20 S.Ofl Cliristeliurch 10 5.07 15 5.22 20 8.82 Duuedin ... 10 0.01 15 11.21 24 0.22

A leading local land agent, to whom these figures were referred by a "Star'' reporter to-day, said that, it was extremely hard to strike an average with regard to house rent, but i't seemed to him that the data were approximately correct, so far as Auckland was concerned. The number of rooms in a house gave practically no indication of the rental which could fairly be asked for it. The locality of 'the house exercised a great influence on the rental. For example, the average charge for a six-roomed house in Kingslaiul would be 1/0 to 2/- less than for a similar house in Epsom. Again, the amount of ground, the age of the house, the state

of 'the conveniences, and various other things 'affected the rental. Taking Auckland as a whole, lie should say that five-roomed houses could be obtained at anything from 12/(i to 16/- a week, and six-roomed houses at. from 14/- to IS/-. Houses of snii>»?r or larger size than five or six rooms were not being put up in any number with a view to letting t.hcm, and his experience was that the man who could afford to pay much over ,£1 a. week rent, generally preferred to buy or build. Speaking of Wellington figures, the agent expressed surprise that rents were so high, considering the recent slump. He pointed out that the comparison told much in favour of Auckland, where not only were there lower rents, but also more roomy and level sections, and a better class of house generally.