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The medical officer of health of Lambeth reports that an area in Marsh Ward, belonging to the
Duchy of Cornwall, which includes Cornwall-place and Salutation-place and adjoining courts, was
being reconstructed in 1909, a number of the leases having expired. This area was the subject of consideration
by the County Council some years ago.
Housing and Town Planning Act, 1909.
The Housing and Town Planning Act, which was passed in December, 1909, makes important
alterations in the law for securing the habitable condition of houses. The following provisions may
be briefly mentioned:—The condition of letting implying that the house at the commencement of
the holding is in all respects fit for human habitation, is by section 14 made to attach to the letting of
a house or part of a house in London at a rent not exceeding £40, but this condition does not attach
to the letting of a house or a part of a house for a period of not less than three years upon the terms
that it be put by the lessee into a condition reasonably fit for occupation, and the lease is not determinable
at the option of either party before the expiration of that term. Further, in respect of houses
subject to this provision, by section 15 the condition is implied that the house shall during the
holding be kept by the landlord in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation. The landlord
is given rights of entry for the purpose of viewing the state and condition of the house and the local
authority is empowered to require the landlord to execute such works as may be necessary to make
the house fit for habitation, and if this requirement is not complied with, or the house is not closed,
may themselves do the necessary work and recover the expenses from the landlord.
By section 16 the power of a local authority to make and enforce by-laws for houses let in
lodgings under section 94 of the Public Health (London) Act is, in the case of houses occupied by the
working classes, made to extend to the making and enforcing of by-laws imposing any duty (being
a duty which may be imposed by the by-laws and which involves the execution of work) upon the owner
in addition to or in substitution for any other person having an interest in the premises and prescribing
the circumstances and conditions in and subject to which any such duty is to be discharged. The
owner or other person is given rights of entry for such purpose, and if the owner or other person fail
to execute any work which he has been required to execute under the by-laws the local authority may
themselves execute the works and recover the costs and expenses. Under section 17 the local authority
in connection with the duty of inspecting houses is required to comply with such regulations and to
keep such records as may be prescribed by the Local Government Board, and the local authority is
empowered to make an order for the closing of houses unfit for human habitation, the owner being
given the right of appeal to the Local Government Board. A room habitually used as a sleeping placs
the floor of which is more than three feet below the surface of the part of the street adjoining or
nearest to the room is to be deemed to be unfit for human habitation if it is not on an average at
least 7 feet in height from floor to ceiling or if it does not comply with the regulations of the local
authority for securing the proper ventilation and lighting of such rooms and their protection against
dampness, effluvia or exhalation. A closing order in such case will only prohibit the use of the room
for sleeping purposes.
Section 43 prohibits the building of back-to-back houses, but such prohibition is not to prevent
the erection or use of a house containing several tenements in which the tenements are placed backto-back
if the medical officer of health certifies that the several tenements are so constructed and
arranged as to secure effective ventilation of all habitable rooms in every tenement.
Part II. provides for local authorities (in London the London County Council) to make, and,
with the sanction of the Local Government Board, to give effect to a town planning scheme as respects
any land which is in course of development or appears likely to be used for building purposes, with the
general object of securing proper sanitary conditions, amenity and convenience in connection with
the laying out and use of the land and of any neighbouring lands.
Common Lodging-Houses.
The administration of the Common Lodging Houses Acts devolved upon the Council in 1894.
By the passing of the London County Council (General Powers) Act, 1902, the Council obtained powers
to license common lodging-houses annually. New by-laws for the regulation of common lodginghouses
came into force on the 1st October, 1903.

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