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56
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.
The total number of dwelling houses inspected for housing
defects was 1,038, the number found not to be in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation being 442.. The number rendered
fit in consequence of informal action by the Sanitary Inspectors was
417 and the number in respect of which statutory notices were served
requiring defects to be remedied wast 155. No case came to the knowledge
of the Department in the course of the year of an underground room being
illegally used for sleeping purposes.
Five applications under the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest
(Restrictions) Act "were made by occupiers of dwelling houses that
the houses occupied by them-were not in a reasonable state of repair.
Unhealthy Areas.—No representations were made under the
Housing Act during the year. No complaints that areas were unhealthy
have been received.
Byelaws relating to Houses and Houses Let in Lodgings.—
Existing byelaws relating to houses are, on the whole, found to be fairly
satisfactory in their working.
Housing Inspections.—House-to-house inspection was suspended
throughout the year.