§ 32. Mr. Frank Allaunasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he will make it an offence for a landlord to attempt intimidation by sending eviction notices to tenants of controlled houses.
§ Mr. H. BrookeThe landlord of a controlled house can regain possession only by obtaining an order from the court. I have always advised tenants to make sure they know their rights, and anyone who is in doubt about the position can get information from his local authority or advice from any citizens' advice bureau. I do not think that legislation is needed.
§ Mr. AllaunIs the Minister aware that I and other hon. Members can give him evidence that this is what certain landlords are doing? In fact, I have a notice 206 to quit in my pocket at the moment. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these landlords are taking advantage of their tenants' ignorance of the law, and, since there is enough injustice connected with the Rent Act already, could not the Minister quite easily prevent this additional injustice by making this a punishable offence?
§ Mr. BrookeI thought for a moment that the hon. Member was anticipating the next General Election. I say to him quite seriously that, unquestionably, making sure that the tenants have correct information about their rights is likely to be more effective than any legislation against intimidation.
§ Mr. MitchisonIs not it a fact that this practice causes confusion between houses which remain controlled and those which have been decontrolled under the provisions of the Rent Act? Would not the right hon. Gentleman consider dealing with this matter in the booklet which I believe he is to issue in connection with the Landlord and Tenant (Temporary Provisions) Bill?
§ Mr. BrookeI think that the booklet had better be confined to the new Measure. I would have thought that there was sufficiently clear information already available to everybody. If this interchange of Question and Answer draws further attention to it, so much the better.