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70
Houses Let in Lodgings.
The number of houses on the register is 121. No new
houses were added in 1905, it being thought inexpedient to add
to the register before the revised bye-laws relating to houses
let in lodgings came into operation, and these bye-laws were
not confirmed by the Local Government Board until
22nd December. These bye-laws have been the subject of much
discussion and negotiation, which it may be useful briefly to
recapitulate.
The administration of the law relating to houses let in
lodgings was considered by the Health Committee at some
length in 1902, and it was decided that before such houses could
be dealt with effectively it would be necessary to make several
important amendments in the bye-laws in force at that time.
Accordingly in March, 1903, the Council adopted a revised set of
bye-laws and submitted them to the Local Government Board
for confirmation. The revised bye-laws differed from those
then in force in several respects, the most important points of
difference being as follows:—
1. The exemption clause was omitted. This alteration
met with considerable opposition, but there was no lack of
precedent for it, for the bye-laws of no less than five
Metropolitan Boroughs contain no exemption clause whatever.
These Boroughs are Bermondsey, Deptford, Kensington,
Marylebone, Stepney.
2. The term "Landlord" was defined to mean the owner
of the lodging-house, and a new term "master" was used to
denote the person "by whom or on whose behalf the lodginghouse
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 the said letting." This term
"master" was derived from section 141 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, where it is used in a similar sense; but at
the suggestion of the Local Government Board it was afterwards
altered to " keeper."
3. The standard of cubic air space per adult was raised