RISKS OF SUB-LETTING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 58, 12 March 1929, Page 12

RISKS OF SUB-LETTING

(To the Editor.)

■Sir, —If one may judge by'your correspondence columns and tlio article by "Diogenes," appearing on,your leader page on Tuesday last, there is (apparently) an inspired movement to throw the blame of Wellington's exorbitant rentals'upon the shoulders of the unfortunate ■ sub-letter of rooms., I say un-fortunate,-for standing-as they do between tho flighty "roomer" and-the houseownor, who knows and extracts the full letting value of his house, they have some difficulty in securing a little return for tho service they render society. , -

It must be admitted that Mrs. Subletter renders an essential service by retailing housing accommodation. She undertakes the responsibility for the full rent, the cost of cleaning, lighting, and often for the heating and part furnishing of the house. Her business en-, tails a fair amount of hard work, apart from that of general management. Is she not entitled to some wages for this work? The landlord, the City Council, the Gas Company, and others look to her for payment, and her occupancy partakes somewhat of the nature of an investment. Is she not entitled to a return on such investment? These wages or returns must of necessity be added on to the rent, in the same way that the retailer adds his running expenses and 'profits on to the price ho pays for his goods, and I doubt if "Diogenes" would urge that the has tho right to demand small supplies of goods at wholesale rates from the retailer.

"Diogenes" himself supplies a reason (albeit of the vicious circle variety) for high "rentals. He points out Ihat tenants are constantly; changing, their abodes, and says: "This again accounts for the fact that many places arc continually on the market; they cannot retain their tenants at the rent demanded, and so are empty a good part of Iho year." He has probably overlooked the fact that'during these periods of vacancy his pseudo house-farmer is (in the first,case cited by him) compelled to pay £3 per week for the use of two rooms and kitchen. So that she herself must be regarded as a victim of the system. Too often the roomer departs without paying the rent, or for the gas, the electricity and other things he has enjoyed. Certainly someono has to pay for the loss periods, bnt why throw all the weight on to the shoulders of Mrs. Subletter and then charge her with "farming" when she- endeavours to pass on some of the burden. That the average subletter does not overcharge is. shown by the number "who fall under the hammer of the auctioneer. So far as I am aware, no millionaires have emerged from the ranks of roomletters; they, poor women, havo more acquaintance with moiioylenders than with financial magnates. Wo must seek a more basic.cause for the exorbitant rentals charged in this city. Why not start with the landowner and the speculator?

Yonr correspondent "Fleeced" is like Maid' Marguerite, full of excellent suggestions. But lam afraid that there ie little hope o| their enactment, ffhe