§ Mr. ANDERSONasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received complaints as to an increasing number of evasions by owners of small house property of the provisions of the Increase of Rent and Mortgages Interest (War Restrictions) Act; whether he is aware that some of these owners are making illegal demands upon the tenants, and, in the event of the tenants refusing to pay, are entering up their claims as arrears in their rent books; that such arrears, though not legally due, will be used against the tenant in any subsequent search for a new house; and what steps he intends to take to compel landlords to cancel arrears which have been entered in rent books in defiance of the provisions of the Act?
§ Mr. HAYES FISHERSome representations on this subject have been received by my Noble Friend, and he recently issued a notice to the Press explaining that improper increases of rents carried forward as arrears were not recoverable650W at any time, in this connection I would refer my hon. Friend to Section 5 of the Act of 1915. If my hon. Friend has any further suggestions to make, perhaps he would communicate with the President of the Local Government Board.