The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-04-11
6ene, al Moving Day-speculataon In Hsnse
Rents.

Semen al Moving Day-SPec nlatl0n In Housc
Rents.
The first Of May is rapidly approaching,
and our housekeepers are already engaged
in preparing TOR the social revolution which
it always produces in New York. The revo.
hutton this year will not, however, if we may
judge from the number OF bills displayed
be so wide spread as on former moving days
Those who are in search Of new houses w0uii
do well to read the long list of advertisements
under the head Of Tenants Register" which
is published every morning in the HERALD. In
fact the system of advertising houses has be
come more general since it's advantages have
been realized by landlords, and is often .
saving Of time and money for tenants 1t
might, however, be made still more 80 if those
who advertise would state the rent, the num-
Der of rooms, the c0nveniences, and the hours
at which the houses can be seen. In regard to
rent it is particularly essential that it should
be stated, as that, after all, Is the most impor
of dwellings. With many it is the principal
inducement to change of residence, and if
they are obliged to pay more, they expect the
advantage will still be on their side SO far as
the COW eniences and accommodations are con.
cerned.
The rents this year are exorbitsntly high,
Notwithstanding the predictions which were
made last year that they would be reduced at
least twenty per cent. Houses that were let
last May for four hundred dollars cannot now
be had for less than four hundred and fifty and
five hundred; but the rents of stores remain
about the same. The practice of sub-letting is,
to great extent, the cause of much Of the ex-
tortion to which large portion Of our house
keeping population have to submit, and those
who occupy parts of houses are more sub
ject to it than any other Speculation in
the renting Of houses is as extensively
carried on as any other kind of specula-
ton, and is one of the worst frauds for which
the law has no penalties We have heard Of
numerous instances in which as much as one
hundred and fifty dollars have been realized
yearly by agents on house, the annual rent
of which, as received by the owner, does not
exceed three hundred. But this is not all.
There are hundreds Of families who, by prac-
ticing the same system on a smaller scale, are
enabled to live almost rent free. This is done
in the following manner:-One family rents a
three story house for five hundred dollars and
after selecting the best part for their own use
they let the remainder to one or two families
for wo-thirds, and sometimes three-fourths
the amount paid by themselves In this way
they make others pay their rent for them
Those who suffer most by this system are
the mechanics and laborers. For two or three
rooms they are obliged to pay more in pron "
ton than is paid by the occupants of som. IF
the finest houses in the city. In the cast Of
large tenant houses this is particularly true
Landlords, it is true, might do great deal
towards putting stop to this system of specn-
lation, but in many instances they are the
spectators. They are not always, however,
the gamers, for it not unfreauently happens
Tat the tenants turn antirenters and move
without giving them either the stipulated no
tice or the rent Thus, extortion on the one
side is met with dishonesty on the other, and
as long as the opportunity exists SO long will
they be practised.
THE IRISH NEws.-A new Irish paper hi