London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Fulham 1957
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Fulham Borough]
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circumstances to offset any omissions by service of notices under public health and
housing legislation
Comment on another important change in procedure, namely the giving by landlords
of undertakings to carry out the tenant's requests within six months, must be
reserved until sufficient time has elapsed to see how far these promises have been
honoured
Certificates can be cancelled by the County Court on the ground of wrongful
inclusion of defects, or by the local authority, subject to appeal to the county court,
on the grounds that the defects have been remedied There was no recourse to the
county court in the year under review ■
Details of action taken between 6th July and 31st December, 1957 are as follows.-
| Applications for certificates | 216 |
| Decisions not to issue certificates | 7 |
| Decisions to issue certificates | 199 |
| (a) in respect of some but not all defects | 138 |
| (b) in respect of all defects | 61 |
| Undertakings given by landlords | 105 |
| Undertakings refused by Council | 1 |
| Certificates issued | 63 |
| Applications by landlords to Council for cancellation of certificates | 27 |
| Objections by tenants to cancellation of certificates | 8 |
| Council decisions to cancel in spite of tenants objections | 4 |
| Certificates cancelled | 10 |
HABITATION CERTIFICATES UNDER SECTION 95(2) OF THE
PUBLIC HEALTH (LONDON) ACT, 1936
During the year 13 certificates were issued in respect of 212 newly erected and
rebuilt premises in the Borough compared with j.63 in 1956
REHOUSING OF FULHAM RESIDENTS
Owing to the fact that almost all of the new dwellings becoming available are now
being used to rehouse families from slum clearance and compulsory purchase areas, the
London County Council found it necessary towards the end of 1956 to revise their
arrangements in connection with their housing waiting list.
All applicants were informed by letter that it is estimated that during the next
three years or so, the total number of dwellings available will not exceed 2 000
Although at first glance this figure may appear reasonable, when it is realised that
there are 53 000 families in London in Category A alone the magnitude of the rehousing
problem immediately becomes apparent.
However, it has been possible for the London County Council to set aside 100
dwellings a year for applicants suffering from some very serious medical condition
which is aggravated by housing circumstances, and all such cases must be confirmed by
the County Medical Officer of Health
As a result of the change in policy the visits paid by the Public Health
Inspectors to families in support of housing applications were drastically
curtailed