CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 31, 6 February 1943, Page 4

CORRESPONDENTS' VIEWS

RENTS AND RIGHTS To the Editor I desire to join in uttering a strong protest against this most "unfair" Rents Act, and am hoping soon to hear of a public meeting being called by property owners who should take steps to have matters altered, and some measure of justice meted out to them. This Act is a gross misnomer, and only encourages careless, dishonest tenants to continue to knock about the properties of people who have very often put their life's savings into their homes. I know of a case (not an isolated one by any means) where a beautifully furnished home was let to people who, after destroying it both inside and out and owing some months' rent, refused to budge Avhen the owner wished to live in it himself, and after a wait of nearly 12 months he got possession to find most of the contents ruined, and still the rent remains unpaid. These are the types of tenants this iniquitous Act protects and encourages, and who can rush off to the Labour Department now and claim a reduction in rent. There are, of course, cages where £4 4/ and £5 5/ are charged for unfurnished fiats, and these require looking into, but homes furnished with reasonable rents should be exempt. I hope steps will soon be taken to bring into being some measure of protection for owners of property who wish to live in their own homes. HONESTY.