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68
Seven of the underground rooms dealt with during the year were
occupied by the caretakers of flats. It is unfortunately by no means
uncommon to find the caretakers of high-class flats housed in illegally
occupied underground rooms, and surprise is sometimes expressed that
the authorities should allow such rooms to be constructed. There is,
however, nothing to prevent the construction of underground rooms
that do not comply with the requirements of the Public Health Act
relating to underground rooms; the offence consists in allowing such
rooms to be separately occupied as a dwelling, and it is only by systematic
inspection that the offenders can be detected and brought to book.
Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act.
This Act is a measure of great importance, which in many ways
improves and strengthens the law relating to public health.
Some important parts of the Act are not administered by Metropolitan
boroughs and do not therefore affect the work of the Council.
Part II., which deals with town planning, is administered in London by
the London County Council, and Part III., is exclusively confined to
the appointment and duties of county medical officers of health.
Considerable portions of Part I. are devoted to amending the procedure
for the acquisition of land for housing purposes. The parts of the Act
that immediately concern public health administration in Hampstead are
contained in sections 14 to 21, inclusive, the chief provisions of which
are as follows:—
Section 14 provides that in any contract made after the passing of
the Act for letting a house or part of a house at a rent not exceeding
£40, there shall be implied a condition that the house is in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation; and this condition includes an
undertaking that the house shall be kept by the landlord in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation. The sanitary authority are
empowered to inspect such houses to ascertain whether this condition
is fulfilled, and if it is not, the sanitary authority shall servo the landlord
with a notice requiring him to execute such works as the authority
shall specify as being necessary to make the house in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation. If the landlord fails to comply
with the notice, the sanitary authority may enter and carry out the
necessary works and recover the cost as a civil debt in the Police Court.
Tin; landlord may appeal against the authority's notice, but the appeal