RENT FIXATION

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23701, 28 July 1942, Page 4

RENT FIXATION

CONTROLLING f GBOWI| ;OF FLATS : , ;■: 'AA■ -Ak-A ''‘’. /,■;V; NEED FOR BUILDING CODEj URGED t In its endeavours to Imprbve : bOu» ing conditions in the . city, .dhftrhotwni: and town planning committee of tip. Christchurch City Council has; ap* preached the' Standards'lnstitute urging that the new standard code 01 building by-laws be made ayailaW|jJ soon as 'possible. The, committee : ported this action to the counciljMl evening, and in the same report ex* pressed the view that fixation of renty at a reasonably low figure— seven PIT eight per cent, on capital expenditure —was necessary to prevent the sent promiscuous subdivision of larg?, houses.” ’ j i The committee expressed the view that it would take too long to aroegd the city by-laws to deal with flats, •that it would be preferable to wait for the issue of the standard code. > jf Specially-built blocks of flats andthose large houses which were . subr, divided into two or three flats by ths, owner who found his home too large for him were usually satisfactory, stated the committee, in its report . oil flats. The latter often could be unproved by a little more expenditure, these often being where the owner was his own architect. Included in the latter were also a number who would do minor alterations, often without a permit, creating small, uncomfortable flats with community conveniences. Large houses purchased and subdivided, frequently with the sole object of producing the maximum rever nue at the minimum. cost, were the chief trouble. " ' , . Pending the issue of the standard code, the committee, as an effort w prevent building without permits, had circularised all yards asking workmen to report to the council for checking au building alterations seen. . V’ Apparently the Labour Department would not act to have rents reviewed,, except where an appeal was lodged by; a tenant, stated the report. If ,the Labour Department were to act on an, cases reported by the _ responsibly authorities, without waiting for _ *P! peals, this would have the effect bl, limiting rents. The matter might B» taken further by having the value new flats for renting assessed when w; building permit was taken out, Un* less the present system of waiting for appeals was to continue, amending legislation was required, concluded tng. committee.