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152 Annual Report of the London County Council, 1014.
The decrease in the surplus as compared with 1913-14 is due chiefly to the increase in rates
and to allowances to officers and employees serving with H.M. Forces. The latter amounted during
the year to £861 18s. 6d. The decrease is to some extent counterbalanced by improved lettings
generally during the year, the decrease in the loss due to empty tenements being £1,373.
Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890.
The Council's operations under the Housing Act comprise (a) dwellings erected under Parts
I. and II. of the Act to provide rehousing accommodation for persons displaced by schemes for the
clearance of insanitary areas, and (b) dwellings erected under Part III. of the Act to provide
accommodation for persons of the working classes, apart frcm any displacements. Dwellings erected
under Parts I. and II. represent, therefore, compulsory provision for rehousing under statutory
obligations, whereas dwellings under Part III. represent housing accommodation voluntarily provided
by the Council. In certain instances of compulsory rehousing it has been necessary to erect dwellings
on sites, on the working of which, owing to their character or situation, unfavourable financial
results were anticipated from the first.
The account under Part III. is sub-divided to show the results of the dwellings apart
from the debt charges on estates in course of development, which are referred to in a subsequent
paragraph.
Results of
year.

The surplus on dwellings under Part III. is after allowing for a deficiency of £1,095 15s. 10d.
in respect of Carrington House, a lodging-house erected under Part III. but in fulfilment of
rehousing obligations in connection with the Mill-lane, Deptford, scheme under Part II. These
premises were requisitioned by H.M. Government for accommodating National Reservists, payment
being made at the usual billeting rates. The somewhat more favourable result of the working of the
lodging-house as compared with the previous year is due in a measure to this cause. The premises
were also placed for a short time at the disposal of the Local Government Board for the purpose of
housing Belgian refugees, upon terms which provided that the Council should not be placed in a
better financial position by reason of such occupation than if the building had continued to be used
for the reception of lodgers.
Income.
The gross rental for the year from dwellings under the Housing Act was £175,603 15s.
including £2,121 18s. 9d. in respect of the occupation of Carrington House by the War office and
the Local Government Board. In calculating the percentages subsequently quoted this amount has
been eliminated. Deducting allowances for empties, caretakers' quarters and amounts irrecoverable,
the net rental amounted to £169,469 0s. 11d., exclusive of £542 6s. 11d. for interest on cash
balances. The amount of rent irrecoverable was £312 10s. 10d., or only 0.18 per cent. of the
gross rental. The total loss of income due to " empties " was £4,662 18s. 1d., or 2.69 per cent.
of the gross rental, as against 3.38 per cent. in 1913-14. Of this loss £2,497 (or 38.57 per cent. of
gross rental) occurred at Carrington House. The only other case in which the loss exceeded 10 per
cent. was Chadworth Buildings (10'72 per cent.), and this was chiefly due to vacant shops.
Expenditure.