HC Deb 11 May 1965 vol 712 cc244-6
9 and 10. Mr. Harold Walker

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government (1) if he will introduce legislation to enable tenants of private landlords to obtain certificates of disrepair more quickly and more easily;

(2) what measures he proposes to introduce to assist tenants of private landlords to get repair work carried out.

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Housing and Local Government (Mr. James MacColl)

My right hon. Friend decided against overhauling the legislation relating to existing controlled tenancies at this stage in order to get on the Statute Book as soon as possible the Rent Bill with its new scheme of rent regulation. The certificate of disrepair procedure will lapse as controlled tenancies are brought into this scheme. Under the Bill the fair rent will reflect the state of repair of the property and, where a landlord lets his property get into disrepair, the tenant will be able to seek a reduction in the rent. My right hon. Friend is considering what further action will be needed.

Mr. Walker

Is my hon. Friend aware that this is one of the most serious social problems in housing in our older towns and cities? Is he aware that as a result of the 1957 Act it often takes as long as eight months or more to obtain a certificate and that consequently the numbers of certificates issued since 1957 are only a fraction of those offered before, with a resultant decline in the standard of housing in those towns?

Mr. MacColl

I can accept what my hon. Friend says about the state of repair of many of these old houses, but the point is that the reduction of rents is purely a financial sanction to prevent exploitation. It does not get the work done. My right hon. Friend is concerned to find a more positive way of getting the work done.

The Earl of Dalkeith

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that a partial solution of the problem would be to bring the standard improvement grants up to date to take account of the fall in the value of money since these grants were initiated, a fall which is proceeding at a rapidly increasing pace under the present Government?

Mr. MacColl

As I spent many happy hours last summer in Standing Committee on a housing Bill which was designed to bring improvement grants up to date, I think that it was a little unreasonable to ask us to consider again bringing them up to date so soon after the last Government. One would have hoped that in this matter at least they had not made a complete mess of things.

Mr. Frank Allaun

Would my hon. Friend consider restoring the procedure under the 1954 Act whereby a tenant could deduct part of his rent immediately a certificate of disrepair is granted? While it would be grossly out of order to suggest it at the moment, may I ask whether it could be done while the Rent Bill is going through Committee?

Mr. MacColl

My hon. Friend well knows that the Rent Bill is in the early stages of consideration in Committee and no doubt this matter will come under careful perusal. I still think, as my right hon. Friend hinted on Second Reading, that amendment of the Housing and Public Health Acts is probably a more direct and positive way of achieving what we all want.