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Another problem is caused by certain old people, usually women.
Many of these live alone in a single room with no one to look after them.
Frequently they rely almost entirely on the Old Age Pension for sustenance.
Gradually growing feebler with the passage of time, they
eventually become unable properly to care for themselves or their homes.
Although every means of persuasion is tried, these cases usually decline
to enter a Poor Law Institution and the condition often persists for a
lengthened period. Fortunately, this problem has now been met by
legislation. Under the London County Council (General Powers) Act,
1928, it is possible to arrange for the removal of such cases to a suitable
institution.
While in the majority of instances the defects found to exist in unfit
houses are due to the lack of proper management and supervision by
owners, from time to time complaints are made by the owners regarding
the difficulties they experience in keeping their property in a reasonable
state of repair because of the dirty and destructive habits of a
number of their tenants. It is alleged that, through carelessness or
wilful damage by tenants, repairs and cleansing have to be carried out
with unreasonable frequency and that, as a consequence, it is impossible
to maintain even the minimum requirements of the Local Authority
without incurring financial loss.
Investigation has shown that these statements are often well-founded
especially in the poorer class tenement lodging houses where no responsible
caretaker or landlord is resident. To lighten the difficulties of the
owner in these cases, effort is made, as far as possible, to keep in view
such powers as a Local Authority has of holding the tenant responsible
for defects resulting from his neglect or default.
Action was necessary during the year in respect of two dwelling
houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious to health as to be
unfit for human habitation. The total number of dwelling houses
inspected for housing defects was 816, the number found not to be in
all respects reasonably fit for human habitation being 630. The number
rendered fit in consequence of informal action by the Sanitary Inspectors
was 411, and the number in respect of which statutory notices were
served requiring defects to be remedied was 219. Two cases came to
the knowledge of the Department in the course of the year of underground
rooms being illegally used for sleeping purposes. Appropriate
action was taken in each case.
There were no applications under the Increase of Rent and Mortgage
Interest (Restrictions) Acts made by occupiers of dwellings houses, that
houses occupied by them were not in a reasonable state of repair. It
is the usual practice when such an application is received to inspect the
house and serve notices for the defects which exist. If these are amended
promptly it is found unnecessary to take further action.
Unhealthy Areas.—No representation was made under the Housing
Act during the year. No complaints that areas were unhealthy have
been received.