HC Deb 18 June 1954 vol 528 cc2501-2
Sir H. Lucas-Tooth

I beg to move, in page 34, line 19, to leave out "two." and to insert "three."

This is one of five consequential Amendments on the Order Paper and if we can discuss them together it will be for the convenience of the House. This Amendment extends from two to three months the time allowed for claiming compensation for improvements under the Landlord and Tenant Act, 1927. In Committee the hon. Member for Walsall (Mr. W. Wells) moved an Amendment to extend the period to six months. My right hon. and learned Friend undertook to consider the matter further and to try to find the most suitable period rather longer than the present two months.

As explained in Committee, the objection to making the period a great deal longer than the present two months is that this would take the period for claiming compensation up to or beyond the end of the tenancy. That would be undesirable because it is generally convenient for both parties to settle the amount of compensation before the tenancy comes to an end. In particular, it may be important for the landlord to know the extent of his liability before he decides what to do with the property at the end of the tenancy. The Amendment avoids this difficulty while allowing the tenant appreciably longer than at present for submitting the claim for compensation.

Mr. W. Wells

We have been anxious throughout to extend the time which the tenants have for going through the somewhat complicated motions that will be necessary under this Bill. They will need advice and we thought that the time given throughout the Bill is on the niggardly side. We are grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for the concession he has made by extending the time under this Clause from two to three months. We would have wished that a longer period could have been granted and we are not impressed, though we see the difficulty, by the force of the argument that the period for claiming compensation should be coterminous with the tenancy. However, we are grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman for going as far as he has gone.

Amendment agreed to.

Further Amendments made: In page 34, line 23, leave out "two," and insert "three."

In line 32, leave out "four," and insert "three,"

In line 36, leave out "two," and insert "three."

In line 39, leave out "two," and insert "three."—[Sir H. Lucas-Tooth.]