Charity organization; Housing -- England -- London; Poor -- England -- London; Working class -- Dwellings
The pecuniary success of the plan has been due to two causes. First,
to the absence of middlemen; and secondly, to great strictness about
punctual payment of rent. At this moment not one tenant in any of
the houses owes any rent, and during the whole time, as I have said,
the bad debts have been exceedingly small. The law respecting such
tenancies seems very simple, and when once the method of proceeding
is understood, the whole business is easily managed; and I must say
most seriously that I believe it to be better to pay legal expenses
for getting rid of tenants than to lose by arrears of rent,--better
for the whole tone of the households, kinder to the tenants. The rule
should be clearly understood, and the people will respect themselves
for having obeyed it. The commencement of proceedings which are known
to be genuine and not a mere threat is usually sufficient to obtain
payment of arrears: in one case only has an ejectment for rent been
necessary. The great want of rooms gives the possessors of such
property immense power over their lodgers. Let them see to it that
they use it righteously. The fluctuations of work cause to respectable
tenants the main difficulties in paying their rent. I have tried to
help them in two ways. First, by inducing them to save: this they
have done steadily, and each autumn has found them with a small fund
accumulated, which has enabled them to meet the difficulties of the
time when families are out of town. In the second place, I have done
what I could to employ my tenants in slack seasons. I carefully set
aside any work they can do for times of scarcity, and I try so to
equalize in this small circle the irregularity of work, which must be
more or less pernicious, and which the childishness of the poor makes
doubly so. They have strangely little power of looking forward; a
result is to them as nothing if it will not be perceptible till next
quarter! This is very curious to me, especially as seen in connection
with that large hope to which I have alluded, and which often makes me
think that if I could I would carve over the houses the motto, "Spem,
etiam illi habent, quibus nihil aliud restat."
Another beautiful trait in their character is their trust; it has been
quite marvelous to find how great and how ready this is. In no single
case have I met with suspicion or with anything but entire confidence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account