London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Kensington 1938
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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43
Individual Unfit Houses not Repairable at Reasonable Cost.
Section 11—Housing Act, 1936.
During 193 < two houses in Becher Street had been represented as unfit for habitation and not
repairable at reasonable cost.
The question of making demolition orders was under consideration in 1938 when the owners
offered to sell the ground to the council. This offer was accepted and the premises which are situated
in the Becher Street area will be demolished in connection with the council's scheme for redeveloping
the area.
Individual Unfit Parts of Houses not Repairable at Reasonable Cost.
Section 12—Housing Act, 1936.
The following table shows the action taken during 1938 in respect of unfit parts of houses (underground rooms) :—
| Closing orders made | 256 (508 rooms). |
| Closing orders determined | 44 (87 rooms). |
| Undertakings by owners not to use for human habitation accepted | nil. |
| Undertakings by owners to make premises fit accepted | 60 (119 rooms). |
| Undertakings cancelled—Premises having been made fit for habitation | 47 (89 rooms). |
| Cases of default in undertakings to make premises fit for habitation (closing orders made) | 17 (32 rooms) |
On the 17th May, 1938, appeals by the owner against closing orders in respect of three underground
rooms in Dartmoor Street were heard at the West London county court, when the judge
made an order quashing the closing orders on the terms that the appellant carried out to the satisfaction
of the council within two months the work which would render the underground rooms fit
for habitation. Although the closing orders were quashed, costs amounting to £15 15s. Od. were
awarded to the council. Subsequently the appellant decided not to carry out the undertaking and
her solicitor applied to the court for the closing orders to be restored, which was done on the 11th
July, 1938.
On the 5th December, 1938, appeals against closing orders in respect of two underground rooms
in Cornwall Road (now West bourne Park Road) were heard in the Marylebone county court. The
judge confirmed the closing orders and the appeals were dismissed. Costs amounting to £19 6s. 8d.
were awarded to the council.
All the 256 closing orders made during the year were in respect of basement rooms. At the
time the orders were made, 105 of the basements were empty and in 86 cases the basement tenants
were able to move upstairs to adequate accommodation in the same house, or found their own
accommodation elsewhere. Sixty-five families (293 persons) were rehoused by the council, or
through their agency, by the London county council and housing associations.
Generally speaking, the closing orders made by the council are not contravened and in the
previous two years it was unnecessary to resort to legal proceedings to enforce closing orders. In
1938, however, the council found it necessary to take proceedings in respect of the illegal occupation
of seven closed underground rooms ; fines amounting to £60 10s. Od. were imposed on the owners
and the council were awarded a total of £4 4s. Od. costs.
Permitted Use of Closed Rooms.
During the year, applications were received for permission to use 104 closed rooms or parts houses, and the following table gives a summary of the purposes approved by the council :—
| Kitchens | 33 |
| Storage | 24 |
| Dining rooms | 17 |
| Sitting rooms | 11 |
| Washhouses | 8 |
| Bathrooms | 4 |
| Offices | 2 |
| Total | 99 |
Five applications were refused. Three were for permission to use closed rooms as kitchens,
one as a workshop and one as a maid's room.