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42
By-laws for Houses let in Lodgings.
The total number of houses let in lodgings on the register at the end of the year was 3,161, and
the number of inspections of these houses during the year was 2,815. The number of houses cleansed
as a result of notices served under the by-laws was 201.
During the year the London county council had under consideration the question of amending
the by-laws relating to houses let in lodgings, to include provisions for the prevention of nuisances
arising from or in a part of a building or an underground room in respect of which a closing order
is in force.
Similar by-laws have been in force in Kensington improvement areas since 1934, but it was
not until the passing of the Housing Act, 1935, that the power to make these by-laws was extended
throughout the country.
Public Health (London) Act, 1936.
The number of written intimation notices served in respect of defects or nuisances in dwellings
was 1,254. In the vast majority of cases the work required was carried out without further action
on the part of the council, but it was necessary to issue 168 statutory notices and 40 final notices;
and one summons was eventually served. The following list shows the major improvements
secured :—
Houses cleansed 550
House drains reconstructed 140
„ „ additions to 215
Defective drains repaired 116
House drains cleansed. 108
Water closets reconstructed or repaired 555
„ „ (new) provided 503
„ „ supplied with water 503
Soilpipes ventilated, repaired, etc. 192
,, (new) provided 194
Ventilating pipes (new) provided . 152
Baths (new) provided 761
Sinks (new) provided 510
Lavatory basins (new) provided 1,550
Waste pipes (new) provided 704
Cisterns cleansed, covered, etc. 114
Taps fixed on rising main 247
Yards and areas, paved, drained, repaired 256
Dustbins provided 264
Ashpits abolished . 14
Accumulations of filth, etc., removed 236
Roofs repaired 414
Houses provided with water above basement floor 86
Dampness in dwellings remedied 369
Ventilated food cupboards provided 178
Artificial lighting of staircases provided 23
Rehousing of Large Families with Small Incomes.
During the overcrowding survey of the borough in 1935 it was found that there was a number
of families with a large number of small children who, owing to low family incomes, would be unable
to pay an economic rent for the number of rooms to meet their needs. Generally, private
owners refuse to let their properties to these families. After careful consideration the borough
council concluded that they would have to take special measures to cater for these families.
The council in the first place considered the possibility of purchasing a number of large tenement
houses and letting each one to a large family. Several hundreds of these houses were surveyed
in blocks and groups but the amount of available vacant accommodation was so small as not to
warrant the expenditure.
Accordingly attention was given to the acquisition of empty properties. A group of seven
houses in Princes Road and Pottery Lane, which were practically unoccupied, was purchased by
agreement. In addition, the council decided to purchase two large houses in St. Charles Square ;
one of these was empty and the other contained only two persons ; one was purchased by voluntary
agreement, but in the second house it was necessary to make a compulsory purchase order, which
was sanctioned by the Minister, after public enquiry, in July, 1937.
At the end of the year, the council's contractors were engaged on reconditioning the houses to
make them suitable for accommodating large overcrowded families, and they will be ready for
occupation early in 1938.
Common Lodging Houses.
Common lodging houses must be licensed annually, and the 30th June of each year has been
fixed by the council as the date of the expiration of each licence.