THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17270, 20 September 1919, Page 10

THE HOUSING PROBLEM.

METHODS OF LANDLORDS.

PREMIUMS AND HIGH RENTS.

PLIGHT OF THE HOUSELESS.

The acute shortage of houses in Auckland has led to many occupiers of rented bouses being compelled to seek new homes owing to .their dwellings having been sold ov<* their heads. The dilemma of the people who have received notice to remeve has evidently been taken advantage of by a certain type of landlord, and, is addition to extremely high rents being desanded for dwellings, premiums are now being asked from prospective tenants for the privilege of entering into occupancy. mat Q te ei tßda ? regarding the SSS\,~ local fcoi^e *»* land nfactice S v**™*™™ in condemning the SoSeAivf f deD J aad " 1 g premiums from prospective tenants. It was stated by the h?dM^? ,TO ° f S t gm y thlt to lv u* P ersonail y mow of an instance £• hfh^^* m 2 lni l had been demanded, SL& » heard that teD * nt who contTf^ d *° obta "> » premium by informing people that a house would 'be availSSrSi * CWtam date. Such methods of lis SSff m ° n t f" 003 unf °rtunate bousebe difficult to find wor3s to express his opinion of landlords, who adopted ti* ; ' » i * lD^ m letting their houses. ? ; Another agent stated that several cases of land.orda having demanded premiums from prospective tenants had come under his notice. In one instance, he had sold a rented house id a certain street, in which there was an untenanted dwelling The tenant of the house that bad been sold made inquiries, with a v:ew to renting the vacant dwelling, aad was informed that ne wou,d have to pay a premium of £10 and a rent °L ass & week. The remarked that 20* a week would have been a good rent for the Dlac A case in which a landlord advertised a house to lei without mentioning the rental was cited. A friend of the adroit interviewed the landed, and was asked what amount of premium and rent ha was prepared to pay. Faced with the necessity _ of obtaining a house promptly the inquirer actually offered a £10 premium and 25s a week rental. The oser was not immediately accepted, and he was told to return next day for a replv. He aid so and Was informed that the house had been let at 27s 6d a week, and that a premium of £12 10s had been paid lor possession of the house.