52. Mr. R. C. Mitchellasked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many appeals have so far been heard by the Southampton Area Rent Assessment Committee; in what proportion of these cases the rent originally proposed by the rent officer has been increased; and in how many cases the tenants have been professionally represented.
§ Mr. MacCollIn the Southern Rent Assessment Panel Area rent assessment committees had dealt with 110 cases up to 2nd February, 1968. The rent determined by the rent officer was increased in 51 of these cases—slightly over 46 per cent. of the total. The rent officer's determination was confirmed in 48 cases and reduced in 11.
Tenants were represented by a solicitor in 13 per cent. of cases, by a surveyor in 5 per cent., and by some other person in 7 per cent. In 4 per cent. of cases surveyors appeared as expert witnesses for tenants. In some cases a party was represented by more than one person, and so there is some overlap in the figures I have given.