Commonwealth Rent Controller

Full description

Establishment

Although provisions for rent control by state or federal authorities were in force during the depression of the 1930's, the first rent control provisions of a similar nature to those enforced by the Commonwealth Rent Controller were embodied in the Fair Rents Act, which took force in 1938. This Act provided for a landlord or tenant to apply to a Court of Petty Sessions for the fair rent of the premises to be determined. Legislation enacted in the 1940's, however, controlled the level of rent of all rented premises, not just those in respect of which an application was made to a court. Under Commonwealth National Security (Landlord and Tenant Regulations) the level of rent of all rented premises was frozen on 31 December 1940 and the role of a Commonwealth Rent Controller was established to determine appropriate variations to rent.

This procedure was embodied in Victorian legislation in 1948 and later that year the Landlord and Tenant (Amendment) Act transferred the responsibilities of the Rent Controller to the Fair Rents Boards (VA 2586). Under this Act, the Governor-in-Council could constitute a Board in any place in Victoria that was deemed to be appropriate. Each Board consisted of one stipendiary magistrate.