HC Deb 22 March 1960 vol 620 c238
54. Mr. M. Stewart

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs whether he will introduce legislation making it an offence for a landlord to attempt to induce a tenant to vacate premises by falsely representing that the premises are decontrolled under the provisions of the Rent Act, 1957.

Mr. H. Brooke

I am advised that if a landlord knowingly makes false statements with the aim of inducing a tenant to give up a statutory tenancy, and the tenant acts upon them, the landlord can be sued for fraudulent misrepresentation, and the courts can award damages to the tenant. This appears to me a sufficient deterrent against the sort of case the hon. Member has in mind.

Mr. Stewart

Does the Minister recollect the case which I brought to his attention where a false notice of this kind was served on a man aged 90 who was partially blind? He was fortunate in that he was able to get advice which prevented him from vacating his home, but the consequences might have been extremely serious. Ought not this to be an offence in the same way as, under the Rent Act, it is an offence to serve notice on the tenant of a controlled house asking for an increase in rent beyond what is legally permitted?

Mr. Brooke

Prima facie that was a deplorable case. I understand that the facts have been drawn to the notice of the Law Society, but I do not think that there is a case for amending the law.