§ 76. Mr. Milneasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will introduce legislation to make it necessary for local authorities and others responsible for house letting to hand over houses in good condition to incoming tenants.
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§ Mr. MacColl:I have no reason to think that local authorities in general do not hand over their houses in good condition to incoming tenants, but if the hon. Member has a particular case in mind I hope he will send me details. As regards private lettings within the Rent Act, 1965 or the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act, 1946, tenants can apply to the rent officer or furnished houses rent tribunal to fix a rent which is appropriate to the condition of the property.
Under Section 32 of the Housing Act, 1961 there is an implied covenant by a lessor who grants a lease for less than seven years to keep in repair the structure and exterior of the house and certain installations. In the case of houses let at a low rental, Section 6 of the Housing Act, 1957 makes it an implied condition of the contract that the house is fit for human habitation at the commencement of the tenancy and that it will he kept in that condition by the landlord during the tenancy.