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110
Registered Houses Let in Lodgings, and Tenement
Houses.—Houses occupied by two or more families are placed on
the register if from their environment, from the nature and age
of the property and the number of sanitary notices attaching to
it, the character of the occupiers, the difficulty of fixing the responsibility
for defects disclosed at frequent inspections, or for
any other reason they are considered to be such as to call for
special regulation and supervision. The advantages of registration
are as follows:—
It ensures a thorough cleansing of the whole house at least
once a year. Registration enables the local authority to stipulate
for proper accommodation for the separation of the sexes. The
clauses relating to overcrowding place this question on a fixed
basis, define it accurately and render it an easy matter to take
proceedings for its abatement. Registration, therefore, simplifies
procedure and avoids technical and legal difficulties in cases of
prosecution for overcrowding under the public health acts.
Registration is said to save many routine inspections during
the year, but to attract a poorer class of tenant. It may, however,
be contended, that it is the presence of the poorer class
tenant in the first instance that rendered registration necessary.
The cleanliness and sanitary condition of these registered and
tenement houses depends to a large degree upon the superintendent
of the " buildings " or the agent. A young, active
superintendent who visits each tenement frequently reduces the
work of inspection by the public health to a minimum.
During 1910, no fresh houses were placed on the register;
fourteen were removed, leaving 1,209 still on the books. For
purposes of cleansing, 957 intimation notices and 352 statutory
notices were served ; for overcrowding, 130 notices. The number
of visits paid was 10,074.
There was no prosecution in the case of a registered house.
There was one prosecution for failing to supply sufficient and
suitable water supply to the upper storeys of a tenement house.
The defendant was fined £5 and costs.