HC Deb 24 May 1960 vol 624 cc204-5
28. Mr. Frank Allaun

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government and Minister for Welsh Affairs if he is aware of the number of empty houses in big cities where there is a serious housing shortage; and if he will introduce legislation requiring landlords to pay rates on empty houses.

Mr. H. Brooke

The numbers are not reported to me, nor could one attach significance to them without information about the reasons why the houses are empty and the length of time they remain so. I do not consider that to impose liability for rates on empty houses would materially affect the numbers.

Mr. Allaun

Surely the Minister knows that, because rent control is removed when a house is vacated, many landlords exploit the housing shortage by holding out for high rents and high prices? Would not the levying of rates help to restore the balance in the tenant's favour and also reduce the waiting or empty period?

Mr. Brooke

I am not aware of any exceptional percentage of houses standing empty at the present time, at any rate in England and Wales, and it does not seem to me that the owner of a house who thought he ought to be able to get a certain price and was not getting it would be likely to hurry to sell it simply because it was made liable to rates.

Mr. M. Stewart

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that the owners of empty properties are benefiting all the time from various services which local authorities supply and that it is not unreasonable that they should make some contribution to them?

Mr. Brooke

I would be reluctant to encourage the idea that rates ought to be charged according to the benefit received from local services.

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