THE HIDDEN "SNAG."
TROUBLES OF TENANTS. HOW TO OVERCOME THESVJ. There is a hidden "snag" in most tenancy agreements and in nearly all leases for the letting of unfurnished houses, and it is tiiis. You will probably find a covenant submitted to you, if you are the intending tenant, whereby you undertake to "Keep the premises in good and lenanlable repair (or words to that effect), and so to hand them over at the termination of your tenancy." Now, the pitfall is this. You cannot "keep" something in a state of repair unless it has already been put in that condition. And the result is that the burden is placed upon you—it you sign the agreement or the lease —to put and keep the premises in repair, unless the landlord or the previous tenant has already done so (says a writer in an exchange). There is not much chance in the present day of the landlord letting you down lightly—once you have signed your agreement—and it therefore becomes necessary that you should take heed while there is yet lime, and before you put your name to anything. It is impossible for me to tell you in a few words what good and tcnautable repair means. It depends on the age of the house, the neighbourhood, and countless other matters. But—unless the house is a new one—it will be your cheatiest plan in the end to get a local builder to come and look over the house with you and to give you an estimate what the cost would be of putting the house into a state of repair sucli as your agreement demands. He will be familiar with the meaning of the words as applied to your particular house. When yon get the estimate you can reconsider your position. You can go to the landlord and ask him what lie is prepared to do in the way of putting the place right, before you take it, and it he refuses to do anything you will know where you stand, and you will not be in the hapless position of a man over whoso head an unknown sword is suspended, which may disastrously fall on him when he least cspects it. \
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Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16946, 6 November 1926, Page 4
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370THE HIDDEN "SNAG." Waikato Times, Volume 101, Issue 16946, 6 November 1926, Page 4
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