HC Deb 24 June 1969 vol 785 cc1186-7
7. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if, in view of the Notting Hill Housing Survey, he will now extend the Rent Act, 1965 to give tenants of furnished dwellings in multi-occupied premises the full security of tenure provided by that Act.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)

The Rent Act, 1965, considerably improved the position of tenants of furnished dwellings. A further extension of the law on the lines suggested would have far-reaching consequences, not all of them necessarily favourable to tenants generally, but we are keeping the possibility in mind.

Mr. Allaun

Is there not clear evidence that many landlords are circumventing the Rent Act by putting in a few sticks of furniture, and when the tenant appeals for a fair rent, they evict him? Can my hon. Friend extend the Act to furnished houses which are not partly occupied by landlords?

Mr. MacColl

In reply to the first question, the courts have intervened categorically to stop the abuse of the "sticks of furniture" in cases brought to their notice; so I do not think it fair to say that nothing is done. In reply to the second point, this particular problem is confined to one or two areas where it is very bad indeed.

Mr. Lubbock

Does the hon. Gentleman recall that in discussions in Committee on the Rent Act I warned him that landlords would put in the bare minimum of furniture and so escape the controls of the 1965 Act? Does he appreciate that in the light of the Notting Hill survey this is an extremely serious problem in some parts of London? Will he look at it as a matter of urgency and introduce follow-up legislation?

Mr. MacColl

I think furnished lettings introduce two separate things which are difficult to combine. They provide a base for a mobile population to enable them to move quickly from areas where they do not want to stay, but in areas of bad housing stress they provide homes for people in desperate need.

Mr. Whitaker

Regarding Notting Hill, was it not disturbing that it was left to independent bodies to bring to light an appalling situation which existed for years only a few miles from where we are sitting? Is it not a fact that the Kensington Council, one of the richest in the country, has done virtually nothing for low-income housing?

Mr. MacColl

On the first point, it is well known that in this area there was a serious housing problem. The report added enormously to the information and aroused the interest of people, but that there was an awful problem to be dealt with was well known.