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(5) Shape and proportion of rooms.—In any alteration of existing planning the shape and
proportion of rooms should be considered and, generally, no room should be less than
8 feet wide.
(6) Access to rooms.—All rooms should have independent access.
(7) Basement rooms.—The conversion of existing underground rooms should be governed
generally by existing statutory provisions, and applicants should be informed that
they will be required to comply with the borough council's regulations under section 18
of the Housing Act, 1925, as amended by the 7th schedule of the Housing Act, 1935,
and with their requirements under the Public Health (London) Act, 1891. All
applicants should be asked to supply a scale drawing showing the height of the basement
rooms, with relative level of surrounding ground and depth and width of areas. Any
proposal to provide sleeping accommodation in a basement will be considered on its
merits, but proposals of this kind should be discouraged.
(8) External appearance.—This should be varied as little as possible. External access
staircases should be avoided, unless required as means of escape where no other
means are reasonably possible.
Housing Statistics.
The Minister of Health each year requires that certain information shall be given in this annual
report, and the following are the particulars required by him for 1935 and set out in circular 1492 :—
1. Inspection of dwelling-houses during the year :—
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing defects (under
Public Health or Housing Acts) 6,292
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 34,705
(2) (a) Number of dwelling-houses (included under sub-head (1) above) which
were inspected and recorded under the Housing Consolidated
Regulations, 1925 1,997
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 7,287
(3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so dangerous or injurious
to health as to be unfit for human habitation (excluding properties
mentioned in five years' programme) 4
(4) Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred to under the
preceding sub-head) found not to be in all respects reasonably
fit for human habitation 2,265
2. Remedy of defects during the year without service of formal notices :—
Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in consequence of
informal action by the local authority or their officers 201
3. Action under statutory powers during the year :—
A. Proceedings under sections 17, 18 and 23 of the Housing Act, 1930 :—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served
requiring repairs 289
(2) Number of dwelling-houses which were rendered fit after service of formal
notices:—
(a) By owners 205
(b) By local authority in default of owners 4
B.—Proceedings under Public Health Acts :—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were served
requiring defects to be remedied 1,775
(2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied after service
of formal notices :—
(а) By owners 1,775
(б) By local authority in default of owners Nil
Outside Improvement Areas.
C.—Proceedings under sections 19 and 21 of the Housing Act, 1930 :—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which demolition orders were
made 2
(2) Number of dwelling-houses demolished in pursuance of demolition orders Nil
(3) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which undertakings were given that
the premises would not be used for human habitation 2
(4) Number of cases in which the undertaking was cancelled, the owner having
carried out the necessary work Nil
D.—Proceedings under section 20 of the Housing Act, 1930 :—
(1) Number of separate tenements or underground rooms in respect of which 20
closing orders were made (33 rooms)