§ Colonel Wedgwoodasked the Minister of Health, with reference to the 1933 Rent Act, whether decontrol certificates can still be applied for and granted, although the landlord did not avail himself of the 855W Act when it came into force, and without any notice of the decontrol being given to the sitting tenant?
§ Sir K. WoodIt is still open to a landlord to apply to the courts for permission to make a late registration on the grounds that there was reasonable excuse for the failure to register within the proper time. In the Bill now before Parliament it is proposed that no further certificates permitting the registration of class C houses should be issued after the expiration of three months from the passing of the Bill.
Mr. T. Morrisasked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that every day houses are wearing out and need to be replaced, he can say whether he is satisfied that the rents for controlled premises are adequate to enable the landlord to keep the houses in a full state of repair?
§ Sir K. WoodThe question of the adequacy of the permitted increase in the rent of controlled houses in respect of repairs was fully investigated by the Marley Committee in 1931 and reported on in paragraphs 59–65 of the majority report. The conclusion in this report was that the permitted increase was "sufficient to enable a conscientious landlord to carry out all necessary repairs on an adequate scale." The question was again considered by the Ridley Committee who mentioned in paragraph 106 of the majority report that no substantial alteration in the position had taken place since the date of the Marley Report. I see no reason to differ from these conclusions.