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In four streets in the Notting Dale area there are six houses capable of receiving 229 single
women and six houses licensed to accommodate 292 single men. It is difficult to avoid the
conclusion that the presence of this population of 500 persons, who for the most part come from
the lowest ranks of society, must necessarily constitute an effective bar to the progress of social
reform in the neighbourhood where the common lodging houses are situated.
The inspection of common lodging houses is carried out by the inspectors of the London County
Council, who exercise effective control under a system of annual licensing. If a house is not kept
in conformity with the bye-laws, the renewal of the licence can be refused, and in this way the
necessity for resorting to the cumbersome procedure of prosecution for each offence as it arises is
avoided. The adoption of a similar system of annual licensing would materially strengthen the
hands of the Sanitary Inspectors in dealing with the worst class of houses let in furnished lodgings,
and special powers for the control of such houses are urgently needed.
Housing (Inspection of District) Regulations, 1910.—By these regulations the Local
Government Board have prescribed the methods to be adopted by Local Authorities in causing
inspections of their districts to be made with a view to ascertaining whether any dwelling houses
therein are unfit for habitation. The ten District Sanitary Inspectors and the Chief Sanitary
Inspector have been designated by the Council as the officers to undertake the preparation of lists
of houses, and to make the necessary inspections under the direction and supervision of the Medical
Officer of Health. The following statements show the work of the year under the Regulations in
the tabular form required by the Board:—
Houses closed by Order of the Council 3
Houses where underground rooms were closed by the Council 38
Houses where underground rooms were fit for habitation 95
Houses where underground rooms were not slept in 37
House where defects were remedied without Closing Orders 319
Defective houses vacated without Closing Orders and outstanding:
(a). Vacated in 1913 2
(b). Vacated in 1912 12
Total houses under consideration in 1914 536
The 14 houses vacated without Closing Orders and outstanding at the end of the year were
situated as follows:—
1, 2, 4—6, Lion Mews 5
2—6 and 8, Dunworth Mews 6
16, Russell Gardens Mews 1
7, Boundary Mews 1
2a, Admiral Mews 1
Total 14
Closing Orders.—During the year 61 houses were represented by the Medical Officer of Health
with a view to Closing Orders being made. The following tabular statement represents the action
taken, and the results which were obtained:—
Houses represented as unfit for habitation 3
Houses closed by Order of the Council 3
Houses rendered fit for habitation after the making of Closing Orders 3
Houses represented for the Closing of Underground Rooms 58
Houses where Underground Rooms were closed 38
Underground Rooms rendered fit for habitation after the making of Closing
Orders 23
Underground Rooms.—Underground rooms in 170 houses were inspected during the year.
In 95 houses, 127 underground rooms used habitually as sleeping places were inspected and found
to be fit for habitation. In 58 houses 77 rooms used as bedrooms were inspected and found
to be unfit for habitation in that they did not comply with the Council's Regulations under Section
17 (7) of the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1909. Closing Orders prohibiting the use of 54
of these underground rooms as sleeping places were made by the Council. During the year 23
rooms closed have been altered by the raising or enlargement of the windows, or the execution of
other works so as to comply with the Regulations, and in these cases the Council's Closing Orders
have been determined.