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47
Rent Act 1957
The Rent Act 1957 came into force on 6 July, 1957, and the
following table shows the applications for certificates of disrepair dealt
with during the year 1959:—

House Purchase Loans
Approximately 600 properties, a record number, were surveyed and
reported on by the inspectors during the year for house purchase loans
made by the Council. In many of these cases schedules of work were
agreed and the repairs supervised and approved in order to make the
premises "in all respects fit for habitation" as required by s.43 of the
Housing (Financial Piovisions) Act 1958 under which loans are made.
Discretionary Grants and Standard Grants
Standard grants—given for the establishment of certain facilities
otherwise lacking—are equivalent to 50 percent of the cost, with maxima
of £25 for a bath or shower, £5 for a wash-hand basin, £75 for a hot
water supply, £40 for a w.c. and £10 for a food store. The largest
possible grant is therefore £155. These grants are made under the
House Purchase and Housing Act, 1959, and during the year 21 applications
were investigated and reported on.
Discretionary grants are available for a wide range of improvements,
including conversions to self-contained dwellings, to enable
houses to 'be modernised and brought up to a "twelve point" standard.
They are paid solely at the discretion of the Council, have a maximum
of £400 for each dwelling, and are made under the Housing (Financial
Provisions) Act, 1958. During the year 92 applications were investigated
and reported on.
On housing work generally, Mr. Craven, the group housing
inspector states: