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It will be seen that there has been a considerable
reduction in the demand for the Council's assistance in
this matter. After two and a half years administration
of the Act, this is not unexpected. It is probable that
the number of applications for certificates of disrepair
has now reached a level which will remain fairly constant;
there may even be a further gradual reduction year by
year as more houses become decontrolled.
Overcrowding.
Certificates of overcrowding were forwarded to the
L.C.C. and the Borough Council Housing Department in
respect of 56 cases which came to the notice of the
Department during the year. This compares with 51 in
1958 and 74 in the previous year.
Twenty three overcrowded families were rehoused
during 1959; 11 by the Borough Council and 12 by the
County Council.
A number of complaints were made alleging overcrowding
in houses occupied by West Indians, but close enquiries
failed to confirm any offence against Part IV of the
Housing Act, 1957. It may be that some of the complaints
were prompted by colour prejudice, but the statutory
standard for overcrowding is a very modest one and complainants
who are not familiar with it may well have
considered premises to be overcrowded even where the
standard was not contravened.
On the other hand, there were instances where it was
suspected that overcrowding existed although an offence
could not be established. It is extremely difficult in
these cases to ascertain the actual residents in the
dwellings as the coloured population fluctuates considerably
and many of the occupants are temporary visitors who may
stay only a few days.
Underground Room Regulations
Prior to 1957 local authorities had at their disposal
a simple and quick means of closing unhealthy underground
rooms. These powers were (contained in Section 12(2) of
the Housing Act 1936 and the Regulations made thereunder.
In 1957, however, the Court of Appeal took the view that
as a result of the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954,
the exercise of these powers became subject to the