Unscrupulous landlords could increase rents in a bid to beat new legislation brought in to protect tenants.

Opposition MPs believe some owners could try to find loopholes or could put rents up before they have to legally abide by the new Rent Increases (Domestic Premises) Control Amendment Act 1999.

The bill was passed late Friday night in the House of Assembly, but during the debate some MPs urged the Government to rethink the legislation.

Shadow Transport Minister Erwin Adderley argued that the bill could hinder the growth of low-cost housing and would serve as a disincentive to anyone considering building a rental unit.

He added that he didn't feel Government civil servants had had much input on the bill as "they would have told Government there was a decline in the number of low cost units since the introduction of control in 1983''.

And he said some landlords could try to push up rents to counter the effect of coming under rent control -- as the new bill takes the ARV level for control from $9,000 to $16,200.

"Rents could rise in between it becoming law and becoming effective,'' he said.

"There is abuse of rent control. Unscrupulous landlords get more by keeping it quiet, with private deals not registered with rent control. The loopholes should have been addressed when the legislation came forward.'' Mr. Adderley said those who would lose out would be the elderly and others who didn't understand the process, adding that he understood the need to protect tenants.

Shadow Health and Social Services Minister Kim Young was concerned for those seniors who relied upon rents to boost their fixed income and first-time homeowners who added a small apartment to their homes to help with the mortgage.

She said it could mean that their properties go without maintenance at a time when many of them were facing massive increases in their land tax bills, following the ARV hike.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin was concerned for those people who invested in housing stock following 1983 -- the cut off point for units included in rent control.

She said: "They did so knowing they wouldn't be subject to rent control, now these people are being told `tough luck'.

"Many of those would be seniors who rely on them for income, it will be difficult for many to understand the legislation.'' Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt asked whether there was a grand scheme behind the idea.

He said Annual Rental Values on lower end units would go down, and consequently those bills would fall -- and asked what was the purpose of the bill.

He questioned the new ARV level for rent control of $16,200, which now brought 60 percent of the Island's 27,000 residential units under rent control.

Health and Family Services Minister Nelson Bascome said the legislation was a short term measure to protect tenants until new housing could be found.

"The highest demand is for one and two bedroom units,'' he said. "In order to tackle this problem, there has to be new units. But until we have that, we have put this in place for people who may want to abuse the system.'' MPs also agreed on the Muslim Marriage Amendment Act 1999, which allows for marriage officers to be appointed on a temporary or permanent basis for any of the Island's Muslim groups.

Anyone wishing to conduct marriages still has to comply with existing Government policy on the issue of marriage officers' licences.

The House of Assembly also read for a second time the Motor Car Amendment (No2) Act 1999.