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166
HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS.
The 372 registered houses have been visited regularly, but
no new houses have been registered under the by-laws,
during 1909.
Proposed Legislative Control over Furnished
Rooms by Sanitary Authorities.
A letter, dated June 18th, 1909, was received from the London
County Council, in connection with the question of the
necessity for exercising increased control over a certain type
of furnished rooms, the practice of letting such rooms for
short periods, at a rate not exceeding 10/0 per week, having
recently become more general in various parts of- the
County of London. The County Council pointed out that
this class of room appeared to be occupied by persons who
are, if anything, of a more degraded character than those
frequenting common lodging houses, that the rent is paid
daily, and that the appointments of the rooms are mostly
of a very scanty and dilapidated nature, the beds being, in
many instances, verminous. The County Council further
points out that the by-laws, which have been made under
section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, do not
confer upon Sanitary Authorities adequate powers for dealing
with rooms of the above description; whilst considerable
difficulty is experienced in putting into operation the provisions
of Part 4 of the London County Council (General
Powers) Act, 1904, as to the destruction of filthy or unwholesome
articles, owing to the frequency with which disputes,
as to the amount of compensation for articles
destroyed, arise. New legislation is, therefore, proposed
in respect of furnished- rooms so let, to ensure that they
be maintained with due regard to sanitation, including
greater supervision and control.
The Lambeth Council agreed to the necessity for
exercising increased control over the type of furnished rooms