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32
Regulations.
Regulations made by the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Battersea under the Housing, Town Planning, &c.,
Act, 1909, with respect to Underground Rooms habitually used as
sleeping places.
Whereas by Section 17 of the Housing, Town Planning, &c.. Act, 1909, it
is enacted as follows:—
Sub-Section 7.—A room habitually used as a sleeping place, the surface
oi the floor of which is more than three feet below the surface of the part of
the street adjoining or nearest to the room shall, for the purposes of this
Section, be deemed to be a dwelling house so dangerous or injurious to
health as to be unfit for human habitation if the room either—
(а) Is not on an average at least seven feet in height from floor to
ceiling; or,
(б) Does not comply with such regulations as the Local Authority, with
the consent of the Local Government Board, may prescribe for
securing the proper ventilation and lighting of such rooms and the
protection thereof against dampness, effluvia or exhalation. Provided
that if the Local Authority, after being required to do so by
the Local Government Board, fail to make such regulations or such
regulations as the Board approve, the Board may themselves
make them, and the regulations so made shall have effect as if
they had been made by the Local Authority with the consent of
the Board.
Provided that a Closing Order made in respect of a room to which this
sub-section applies shall not prevent the room being used for purposes other
than those of a sleeping place ; and that, if the occupier of the room, after
notice of an Order has been served upon him, fails to comply with the
Order, an Order to comply therewith may, on summary conviction, be
made against him.
Now, therefore, we, the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Battersea, being the Local Authority for the said Metropolitan
Borough, hereby prescribe the following regulations with which a
room habitually used as a sleeping place, the surface of the floor of which is
more than three feet below the surface of the part of the street adjoining or
nearest to the room, shall comply, namely:—
(а) Such room shall in every part thereof have at least three feet of its
height above the level of the surface of the street or ground adjoining
or nearest to such room. Provided that, if the width of the
area hereinafter mentioned is not less than the height of the room
from the floor to the said surface or is not less than six feet, the
height of the room above such surface may be less than three feet,
but not in any case less than one foot.
(b) Every wall of such room shall be constructed with a proper damp-
proof course, and, if in contact with the soil, shall be effectually
protected against dampness from that soil by means of a vertical
damp-proof course, or otherwise.
(c) There shall be outside of and adjoining such room and extending along
the entire frontage thereof and open upwards from six inches below
the level of the floor thereof an area properly paved and effectually
drained and at least four feet wide in every part thereof, provided
that the width of such area may not be less in any part than three
feet, if the mean width of the area be not less than four feet; provided
also, that in the area there may be placed steps necessary for
access to the room, and over and across such area there may be