HC Deb 26 July 1955 vol 544 cc1135-6

Lords Amendment: In page 20, line 43, leave out "the proposal was settled" and insert: the date on which the next demand for rates in respect of the dwelling—house is made.

Mr. Deedes

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

The House will recall that the purpose of Clause 12 was to avoid the possibility of hardship on landlord or tenant resulting from an adjustment in rates on revaluation, but as the Clause left the House it was defective in one small detail. This Amendment enables the tenant to recover the full amount of the excess rent which has been paid. It is a small point. but not an unimportant one.

Mr. Mitehison

For this crumb from the rich landlord's table we are duly grateful.

Further Lords Amendments agreed to: In page 20, line 44, leave out "from the landlord."

In page 21, line 8, leave out "from the landlord."—[Mr. Deedes.]

Lords Amendment: In page 21, line 10, at end insert: and any rent recoverable by virtue of this subsection shall be recoverable from the person (if any) who on the said date is the immediate landlord of the tenant of the dwelling-house (being a tenant of the whole of the dwelling-house who has no sub-tenant of the whole of the dwelling-house) or, if there is then no such tenant, shall be recoverable from the person who is then the owner of the dwelling-house.

Mr. Deedes

I beg to move, That this House doth agree with the Lords in the said Amendment.

This is very little more than a drafting Amendment. All it does is to make clear that where there has been a change of landlord, the landlord from whom the tenant is entitled to recover any excess rent which he has paid is the landlord at the time of settlement.