§ Mr. Wheelerasked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will examine the complaints arising from the operation of paragraph 15 in schedule 19 to the Housing Act 1980, and seek to repeal this provision.
§ Sir George YoungIf my hon. Friend has specific evidence of problems arising from the operation of this provision, I shall examine it carefully. The tenants whom it excludes from the protection of schedule 19 to the Housing Act 1980 are separately protected by having a fair rent registered under the Rent Act 1977. This cannot rise between rent registrations irrespective of increases in expenditure incurred by the landlord in the provision of services. In addition, section 59 of the Housing Act 1980 requires landlords applying for the registration of a fair rent which includes a service charge to produce evidence of expenditure on services, and this can be challenged by the tenant before the rent is registered.