Social Services Minister Nelson Bascome yesterday announced a bid to protect poorer tenants from greedy landlords hitting them with massive rent increases.

Mr. Bascome said rent control generally kicked in for properties whose Annual Rental Value was $9,000 or less -- but the first revaluation in a decade has increased ARVs by an average of 70 percent.

And Mr. Bascome said he would be revising the ARV levels for rent control upwards to take account of the massive changes.

Mr. Bascome told the House of Assembly: "Our community is already struggling with the effects of high rent levels and a shortage of affordable housing for low and middle-income families.

"And if such an amendment were not implemented, the impact of the new valuation list would have removed a significant number of properties from rent control, potentially creating conditions for sharp -- and unreasonable -- increases at rent levels at the lower end of the market.'' Mr. Bascome said it was "vital'' for Government to retain rent control as a "policy lever'' in the rental market.

He added: "The purpose of our proposed rent control amendment will be to avoid any sharp escalation in rent levels for those least able to cope.'' But he stressed that applications for "reasonable rent rises'' from the owners of rental properties would be dealt with "in a timely manner''.

And he said: "Government `Government views rent control as a temporary measure. In the longer term it is anticipated that an increased and more balanced supply of housing will help to keep rent levels reasonable and more aligned with family income levels, without the need for rent control.' views rent control as a temporary measure. In the longer term it is anticipated that an increased and more balanced supply of housing will help to keep rent levels reasonable and more aligned with family income levels, without the need for rent control.'' Mr. Bascome added that the amendment he will table to the rent control law would also remove a quirk exempting properties built after June, 1983, from rent control.

He said: "The Government is aware that in the past this provision has caused confusion, frustration and annoyance to both tenants and landlords.

"The proposed amendment will treat all properties which come under the new ARV ceiling the same.'' The news came as Acting Finance Minister Alex Scott tabled the Land Tax Amendment Act -- which increases ARV's for the first time in a decade.

Owners of luxury homes and the business sector are to bear the brunt of a near-$7 million increase in the tax, taking it up to $34.6 million a year, announced earlier this week.

But Finance Minister Eugene Cox earlier this week said 75 percent of home owners will pay less -- with the rate of tax being reduced and a 60 percent discount for private homes being introduced.

The tax-free part of the ARV for pensioners is also being increased by 50 percent -- from $20,000 to $30,000.

But the scheme was slammed by Shadow Finance Minister Grant Gibbons who claimed it would hit already-struggling businesses hard.

And he accused Mr. Cox of breaking pre-election pledges to keep tax increases in line with inflation.

Business chiefs also predicted that tax increases could force already marginal operations -- especially in the tourist sector -- out of business altogether.