§ 28. Mr. Berryasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will take steps to provide that where a tenant persistently refuses to attend a hearing of a rent tribunal the determination of the rent shall be decided in his absence.
§ Mr. MacCollThis does not appear necessary. The Rent Act, 1968, requires that, when both landlord and tenant have been given an opportunity of being heard or—if they prefer—of submitting representations in writing, the rent tribunal should reach a decision on the reference. Thus, neither landlord nor tenant can frustrate in this way the reaching of a decision.
§ Mr. BerryIs the hon. Gentleman aware that I have a constituent who has been unable to have a rent determined because of the absence of a tenant? Is it right that his application should have been described as frivolous just because there is no tenant available to give evidence before the tribunal?
§ Mr. MacCollThe tribunals are independent and not answerable to my right hon. Friend. Whatever the tribunal referred to thought it wise to say is a matter for it and for the courts and not for us.
§ Mr. WellbelovedIs my hon. Friend aware that there is a real case not against tenants but against landlords who are dilatory in their response to rent tribunals? Will he undertake to consider introducing legislation to make rent reductions retrospective to the date of the application so that we can deal with dilatory landlords?
§ Mr. MacCollThat is something which can be looked at in any review of landlord and tenant legislation.