RAISING THE RENTS

Evening Star, Issue 17706, 6 July 1921, Page 2

RAISING THE RENTS

difficulties op tenants.

THE HOUSING PROBLEM,

As a .result of the new valuations of properties it is stated that some landlords are trying to take advantage of tenants by raising their .rents, and this and other matters appertaining to the housing question are engaging the atteni tiou of the Wellington llentpayers’ ProI tection Association. In tho course of a conversation with a 1 Post ‘ reporter, _Mr R. .Sproule, president of the association, ) stated that within tho past ten days Iris 1 association had dealt with forty-three cases (of threatened eviction and attempts by landlords to increase rents.

" When the association was started about twelve months ago,” said Mr Sproule, “there was a certain amount of apathy 1 concerning its activities, but owing to tho difficulties caused by the housing shortage tiro membership' had since increased greatly. It was pleasing to note _ that various public men, such as tho president of the Chamber of Commerce (Mr M. ..A. Carr) and Mr Q. Mitchell, M.P., had been bearing out' the association’s contentions regarding tho need for improving the housing conditions of tho people.” Instancing cases which had been brought to tho notice of the association of rents having been increased unduly, Mr Sproule said that one landlord had tried to raise tho rent of a. house from £1 2s 6d per week to £2 5s 6d, notwithstanding that he had spent only £26 on the property in tho last two years. There was another case whore the valuation of a house in 1914 was £640. The rent of the property (15s per week in 1917) was raised gradually to 20s in April, 1920, and just recently tho ■ magistrate had' fixed the rental at 27s 6(1. The law prescribed- that the standard rents of houses should bo based on the valuations existing in 1914. “But,” added Mr Sproule, “landlords were trying to base rents on the new valuations. They admitted that tho valuations had increased, but claimed that they were justified in raising the rents on the ground of depredation 1” “Tho housing question is more acute today than it was six months ago,” remarked Mr Sproule. “It was stated quite recently that there were 4,000 people looking for accommodation in this city, and, judging by the number of people who call on us, I should say that the estimate is correct. The way in which people are herded together in some bouses is ruinous to homo life altogther. Wo know of a seven-roomed house in Nairn street, (he tenant of which is receiving approximately £9 per week by sub-lotting. One of tho rooms in this house is occupied by a man and his wife and two children, and .they pay a rental of 30s per week. This will give some idea as to how the others rooms are let and tho number of people living in them.” CASES OF HARDSHIP. Mr Sproule said the association had discovered a number of cases of real hardship arising out of the housing shortage. One instance was that in which a summons for eviction had been issued against a man with a wife and eleven children. Tho wife was in a delicate state of health, but she had become so agitated over the matter of finding another house that, three weeks ago, she embarked upon a search herself. While looking for a house in Tinakori road she fell down some steps, and had since given birth to a child, which would be a cripple for life. There was also another bad case, which seemed to show that, in seeking possession of a house, new owners were not always observing the, recognised legal procedure. A family living at Ilona Bay had been given no'tioe to quit by an agent. When the notice expired the'’agent and another man went to the hons, which they entered while the tenant’s wife was hanging out clothes in tho backyard, and commenced .to deposit the furniture outside. The first intimation that tho lady knew that anything untoward was happening was when she saw tho mattress of tho bod being placed in tho yard. Her first inquiry was for her baby, but neither of tho men stated that they had seen it. What had happened was that tho baby had been placed on tho bed, and the mattress had been thrown outside without either of the men noticing the child. „ After stating that there wore in Wellington a number of empty houses which tho owners refused to let, Mr Sproule went on to say that his association had proof that, in tho matter of securing houses, immigrants were receiving preference over other people. Ho know of a case where an immigrant had obtained a house after threatening the Government that if a place was not found for him within a fortnight ho and his family would leas-o the country. AMENDMENTS PROPOSED. “ The llentpayers’ Protection Association,” added Mr Sproule, “intended to ask the Government for an amendment of tho legislation allowing landlords a net rental of 7 per cent. To overcome anomalies which existed at present it would be urged that a new percentage—say 10 ct 12 per cent, on tho capital value —should he fixed. Although landlords were not supposed to receive more than 7 per cent., it appeared that many of them were getting something like 25 per cent, on the standard value of their properties. The association was also going to suggest an extension of tho legislation granting protection to tenants, and was desirous of obtaining a clear definition of the term ‘hardship,’ Another matter which tho association intended to bring under the notice of tho Government was a proposal that financial assistance should be given to tenants who desired to contest, magisterial* decisions by appeal to the Supremo Court. Many tenants felt that judgments given against them by magistrates wore unfair, but they wore unable to seek redress because of the heavy expense entailed in fighting Supreme Court actions.”