Tenancy Act

Press, Volume C, Issue 29557, 5 July 1961, Page 8

Tenancy Act

Sir. —“Disillusioned Nationalist" misunderstood the Tenancy Act. Tenants can be evicted only upon Court orders. Eviction is rare, as many landlords cannot afford litigation. Any solicitor will admit being consulted by distraught landlords victimised by vicious tenants. Often the property is the sole asset of elderly landlords and the meagre rental leaves nothing over for repairs. The restrictive sections of the act now date back 20 years and were concerned with war-time stabilisation. An important effect of the act has been the reluctance of investors to build flats. Is it not significant that not a single large block, such as St. Elmo Courts, has been erected for 20 years? This building proved a white elephant under forcing its owners to convert to offices. I will sell at government valuation a large central city apartment house of six furnished Hvingroom-bedroom-fcitchenette flats, electricity supplied free, let at 25s each. —Yours, etc., R.W. July 3. 1961.

Sir,—Your correspondent P.GJB. hit the nail on the head when he suggested that the tenancy legisiation enacted 20 years ago should be abolished. Human nature being what it is, it was unfortunate that this legislation was justified at that time to protect tenants against unscrupulous landlords. The heavy pressure for housing that existed then does not now exist’ and this emergency legislation now acts, in many cases, against the propertyowner. Many tenants, relying on toe Tenancy Act, simply refuse to be co-opera-tive and cause frustration to owners. Is it unreasonable these days to suggest that a landlord owning, a valuable property should be able, on giving adequate and reasonable notice, to obtain vacant possession of his own asset? This legislation should be

repealed ard property-owners should protest until It is.— Yours, etc.. RENT IN TWAIN. July 3, 1961.