London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Bermondsey 1957
Annual report of the Medical Officer of Health for the year 1957
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CLOSING ORDERS
During the year, two appeals against the making of Closing
Orders under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
1953 were heard. In both cases the learned Judge agreed that the
houses were unfit, but allowed the appeals on undertakings by the
appellants to carry out extensive repairs including, in both cases, the
insertion of a damp proof course. The cost of these works, which
the appellants undertook to carry out, was estimated to be £300 and
£350 respectively. That this is reasonable expenditure on houses
which are badly settled and showing many defects can only indicate
that the anticipated selling price must be very considerable.
HOUSING REPAIRS AND RENTS ACT, 1954
During the period Ist January 1957 to sth July 1957, 6 application for Certificates of Disrepair and 12 applications for revocation
of Certificates of Disrepair were granted.
RENT ACT, 1957
This Act, which came into force on 6th July 1957, has brought
additional responsibilities to the Public Health Committee, mainly
in connection with the issue of Certificates under the Act. Inspection as a result of applications for these Certificates have taken
much of the Inspectors' time and the administrative work has increased correspondingly.
The following table gives details in respect of Certificates of Disrepair from the commencement of the Act until the end of the year under report.
| Number of applications for Certificates of Disrepair | 104 |
| Number of decisions not to issue Certificates | – |
| Number of decisions to issue Certificates— | |
| (a) in respect of some but not all defects | 87 |
| (b) in respect of all defects | 17 |
| Number of undertakings given by landlords | 67 |
| Number of undertakings refused | — |
| Number of Certificates issued | 37 |
| Number of applications by landlords for cancellation of certificates | 3 |
| Number of objections by tenants to cancellation of certificates | – |
| Number of decisions to cancel in spite of tenants' objection | — |
| Number of Certificates cancelled | 3 |
(37)