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Underground Rooms.
Sections 19 and 20 of the Housing Act, 1930, provide that
where a local authority, upon consideration of an official representation,
or a report from any of their officers, are satisfied that any
underground room which, by virtue of Sub-section (1) of Section 18
of the principal Act (1925), is deemed to be unfit for human habitation,
they shall serve upon the persons having control of the house,
upon any other person who is an owner thereof, and, so far as it
is reasonably practicable to ascertain such persons, upon every
mortgagee thereof, notice of the time (being some time not less than
twenty-one days after the service of the notice) and place at which
the condition of the room or rooms is to be considered, and any offer
with respect to the carrying out of works, or the future user of the
room or rooms which he may wish to submit will be considered by
them, and every person upon whom such a notice is served shall be
entitled to be heard when the matter is so taken into consideration.
The authority may, after consultation with any owner or
mortgagee, if they think fit so to do :—
(1) Accept an undertaking from him either—-
(a) that he will, within a specified period, carry out such
works as will, in the opinion of the authority, render
such underground room fit for human habitation; or
(b) that it shall not be used for human habitation until
the authority, on being satisfied that it has been
rendered fit for that purpose, cancel the undertaking;
or
(2) Make a Closing Order prohibiting the use of the room for
purposes of a sleeping place; but the authority shall
determine a Closing Order so made by them on being
satisfied that the room to which it relates has been rendered
fit for human habitation.