View report page

HOUSING
Houses in Multiple Occupation
New legislation came into operation during the year
which gave local authorities new and greatly strengthened
powers to deal with squalid living conditions in houses
in multiple occupation. The Housing (Management of Houses
in Multiple Occupation) Regulations, 1962, made by the
Minister of Housing and Local Government under the
provisions of Section 13 of the Housing Act, 1961 lay
down a code of management which the local authority may
apply to any house occupied by members of more than one
family, or, in appropriate cases, to a block of tenements.
In general they require managers of such premises to
ensure the good order, repair and cleanliness of means
of water supply and drainage; heating installations;
rooms and certain installations in common use; halls,
staircases, passageways etc; windows and other means of
ventilation; means of escape in case of fire; common
outbuildings, yards, gardens etc. They are also required
to ensure that refuse is satisfactorily dealt with and
that accommodation is in good repair when they let it.
They have obligations to protect tenants from injury
resulting from structural conditions.
Under Part III managers have responsibilities with
regard to the display of certain documents (including a
copy of the regulations) for the information of the
tenants and the provision of certain information on
request, to the local authority.
The occupants are obliged to ensure that the manager
can effectively carry out his duties, and the local
authority is required to keep a register of managers and
other relevant information.
The Regulations were accompanied by a Circular which
points out that the powers conferred by the new legislation
are designed to deal primarily with the worst type
of multi-occupied house where nothing less than strong
action would be likely to achieve results. At the same
time the Minister relies on local authorities to make
quite clear to the people concerned what it is that the
regulations require, to ensure the satisfactory management
of these houses and to give them every opportunity to
put matters right before resorting to the new penalty
provision.