View report page

102
were correct. On the 29th the Property Owners' Association requested me to
meet their member's builder. On the 30th November I received a letter from the
tenant which describes fairly accurately the methods of repair adopted by the
owner, obviously with the approval of the Property Owners' Association, as
follows:—
“ Re your visit on Monday, 26th November, to my house, re repairs.
The builder came to-day and put a patch of paper about a foot square over
the hole in the bedroom ceiling where the water comes in when it rains;
he also went on the main roof for about half an hour. The landlord and
the builder have both seen in the top room where the rain conies in. They
have done nothing in the room, or to my kitchen, which you saw the state
it is in, since you saw it.
I have not received the certificate which I paid for on the 2nd November.
The repairs to the bedroom roof to stop the water was ordered last March,
and it never has been done, as each time it has rained the water has come in
again, and Mr. Hall knows it.
I do trust, dear Sir, that you will kindly see to it.
P.S. I have lived here some twelve years, as I told you, and the rooms
were not done when I came in, as the War was on, although I pay forty-five
per cent, increase on my rent for the repairs and all rates and taxes. Trusting
you will see to this. A reply will oblige.”
I forwarded this letter to the Property Owners' Association. I received on
the 5th December a further letter from the tenant stating that further “ botching”
by the builder and landlord had been done, but no repairs to the roof.
On the same day, Sth December, I forwarded this letter to the Property
Owners' Association, asking them if they would be good enough to instruct the
owner to put the premises into a decent condition.
The Public Health Committee, on December 5th, authorised a further Rent
Restriction Certificate to the tenant.
On the 7th December I received a letter from the Property Owners' Association,
stating that I was adopting an " unfair attitude," and that " as you have
accused me of not looking into matters, I am of the opinion that you are in the
same position. I have taken our member's word, and you have taken the Sanitary
Inspector's word.” The letter requested that I should personally meet the builder,
or at any rate inspect the premises to satisfy myself as to who was in fault, which
of course I had already done, and informed the Association of that fact.
I received, on December 8th, the following letter from the tenant:—
“ Since writing you, the landlord called late on Wednesday evening
and left a letter, saying the Surveyor was calling on Friday between
ten o'clock in the morning and three in the afternoon, and asked me to tell
the tenants to stop in on Friday. They did so, the landlord came with his
builder and saw where the wet had come in the bedroom, as a lump of the
ceiling was loose, and he ordered his man to pull it down. Although the
people stopped in, he never went near their rooms; he has not done anything
to my kitchen, which is my living room which you saw. I do not think
I am being treated fairly, as I pay all the rates and taxes, and also forty five
per cent, increase of rent for repairs, and this house was not done up when
I moved into it, now some twelve years ago, but I was continually being
promised it should be done.
i trust you will give this your early attention and oblige.”