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15
it smart to defy the sanitary inspector to sue them for the rest of
the work. There is a class of owners who never think that one day
the property will have worn out and must be renewed. A man does
not buy a motor car or build a ship as a possession for ever. He
owns it and knows that there will come a time when the car or
ship is good for nothing or will be broken up, and that this time will
come soon unless he looks after it and spends some money on repair
or renovation. The owner of a house acts otherwise. He
builds, settles this rent and expects ever after to receive not less
but more. If an industry is started in the neighbourhood and the
demand for accommodation increases, the rent is sure to be increased.
The establishment of new industries in the district has provided these
landlords with the opportunity to raise inordinately the rent.
I am aware of the danger of arguing from the particular to
the general, but the instances of extortionate rents are so numerous
that I am justified in saying that shameful overcharging is general
and these rents cannot possibly be paid except at the cost of the
nutrition of the tenants' families. It was stated during the discussions
on the repeal of the Rent Restrictions Act that a marked
increase of rent was not likely to follow decontrol. In this district
an increase has followed decontrol in almost every instance. The
increased rents are general through the district. If I gave instances,
it might be objected that they are exceptions, but they are not. A
small house in Mill Hill Terrace which was rented under 10s. a week
before the war is now rented at 30s. The tenant is a lorry driver,
and had to sub-let two of the rooms in order to pay the rent. We
have known of instances where a controlled house rented at 8s.
a week was sub-let to produce over £3 a week. I submitted a list
to the Health Committee of all the rents paid in a certain street.
One of the houses was controlled and the tenant paid 15s. a week
rent. The other houses were sub-let and produced rents varying from
32s. 6d. to over £3 per week. The average rent per room was 7s.
to 8s., per week. These rooms were supposed to be furnished,
but we are all familiar with the travesty which is called furnished
apartments. A few sticks are put in a room and the owner or
tenant who sub-lets is enabled to wax fat on letting it as furnished
apartments.
An inquiry into a house and laundry in Stanley Road was
made as a result of a complaint that their was overcrowding.