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105
During 1926, 112 cases were referred to the London County
Council, and 54 families were accommodated. In 10 cases the offer
was declined by the tenant, and in 10 cases the recommendation
was not accepted by the County Council. The remaining cases
were still under consideration at the end of the year.
By-Laws—Houses-Let-in-Lodgings.
These By-Laws were made by the London County Council on
17th November, 1925, under Section 94 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1891, as amended and extended by Section 26, of
the Housing Act, 1919, and Section 14 of the Housing Act, 1923,
and were confirmed by the Minister of Health on the 5th March,
1926, with respect to houses intended or used for occupation by
the working classes and let in lodgings or occupied by members of
more than one family.
Some Metropolitan Sanitary Authorities had raised objection
to the definition of " lodging-houses " in the draft by-laws, and
representations were made at the Conference between the London
County Council and the Metropolitan Boroughs in July, 1925,
that the definition should be amended so as to require registration
in the case only of those houses which the Borough Council resolved
should be registered. The London County Council refused to
agree to the suggested amendment.
The objections raised were, however, met to some extent by
the Minister of Health, who when confirming the by-laws did so
with the reservation that, " except in so far as they apply to any
lodging-house in which the tenant resides and not more than one
family is lodged." The effect of such exception is to exclude from
the operation of the by-laws a large proportion of houses which
would otherwise have come within the definitiod " lodging-house "
in the by-laws. The Minister in explanation of his action was of
opinion that this exception would to some extent meet the objections
raised against the by-laws, but that the alteration was not necessarily
final and did not preclude the London County Council from
requesting him at some future date to remove this restriction if
experience showed this to be necessary or desirable.
The Health Committee considered the new by-laws and gave
instructions as to the administrative action to be taken in putting
them into operation. Steps are being taken to put into effect the
duties imposed by the by-laws. The full effect of the by-laws will
however, not be operative until 6 months after the Rent and Mortgage
Interest (Restrictions) Acts cease to operate, and the result
of the experience of their working may therefore, prove useful in
regard to the necessity for their further amendment.
Insanitary Houses.
The following is a list of streets in the Borough in which houses
were found, on inspection to be insanitary, and were dealt with
by the Council under the provisions of the Housing Acts, either
informally or by the service of notice under section 3 of the Housing
Act, 1925, during 1926.