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Statutory overcrowding is far less prevalent in the
Borough now-a-days, but it must be remembered that the
standard for overcrowding which was first laid down in the
Housing Act, 1935 is a very low one, and in the past 25
years housing and living standards have risen very considerably.
There are many families, who, whilst not statutorily
overcrowded, are nevertheless living in very cramped and
unsatisfactory circumstances as judged by present-day
standards.
There has been a marked increase in the immigrant
population of the Borough whose level of health education
and hygiene standards is on the whole lower than those of
people born here. They have a tendency to live in overcrowded
and unsatisfactory housing conditions, but it is
extremely difficult to establish an overcrowding offence
owing to their frequent movement from one dwelling to another
and their repeated changes of employment. It is also difficult
to discover with any certainly whether the coloured
occupants of a house are residents or temporary visitors.
Certificates of Disrepair
As forecast in last year' s Annual Report the demand
for Certificates of Disrepair under the provisions of the
Rent Act, 1957, diminished still further. The following
table shows the yearly figures since the Act came into
operation on 6th July, 1957.
1957
from 1958 1959 1960 Total
6.7.57
No.of applications for
Certificates of
Disrepair 414 411 100 49 974
No.of undertakings
received from
Landlords 220 284 59 25 588
No.of Certificates of
Disrepair issued 105 157 44 24 330
No.of Certificates of
Disrepair refused 3 6 3 1 13
No.of Certificates of
Disrepair cancelled 16 75 52 13 156