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behalf such house or part of a house is let in lodgings or for
occupation by members of more than one family, or who for the
time being, receives, or is entitled to receive the profits arising
from such letting."
It will be seen from this definition that any owner of a house let
in lodgings may easily escape liability by letting the house to one
person and permitting the tenant to sub-let in tenements. The
tenant here becomes the landlord for the purpose of the bye-laws; and
from this point the enforcement of these most important bye-laws
becomes in most cases impossible: for the very obvious reasons that
this class of landlord has no resources.
The rental of houses in and about London is so high, that the
working man, unless he is content to crowd himself and family into
one or two rooms, finds it impossible to live there. A great many, in
order to reduce their own payments take houses larger than they
think sufficient for their needs, subletting a part at a rent which will
partly if not wholly allow them to live rent free. An individual reduced
to these straits is scarcely likely to repair drains and do other
structural works, at his own expense, and experience shows that
with the exception of overcrowding, the cleansing of the yard,
staircase, and common passages, the removal of filth periodically, and
the proper keeping of animals, it is absolutely useless to look to such
people or landlords to abate nuisances in houses let in lodgings.
Works even of the smallest kind entailing cost, must be done by the
owner of the property. The difficulties met with may be considered
under the following heads:—
1. Information from Landlord.—The notices are served
by post, but the difficulty has arisen from landlords not returning
the form with the required information. A penalty is
provided in the bye-laws against this breach; but the difficulty
has been overcome by the inspector calling upon the landlord
and explaining to him what information is required. This
hitherto has been sufficient to induce the landlord immediately
to return the form with the necessary information.