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
Kensington 1954
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Kensington Borough]
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it easier for the landlord to determine what work of repair
must be carried out to the house in order to secure the
revocation of the certificate.
The Council have decided that each application for a
certificate, or for the revocation of a certificate, must be
accompanied by a fee of one shilling.
The following table gives a summary of the action taken under the 1954 Act up to the end of the year:-
| Category | Applications for certificates of disrepair | Applications for certificates to be revoked | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. granted | No. refused | No. granted | No. refused | |
| (a) Dwelling houses which have been the subject of a notice of repairs increase of rent under Part II of the 1954 Act | 48 | 2 | - | 3 |
| (b) Dwelling houses which have NOT been the subject of a notice of repairs increase of rent under the 1954 Act, but in respect of which permitted increases of rent are recoverable under Section 2(1)(c) and (d) of the Increase of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1920 | 12 | 1 | - | - |
In addition to the cases mentioned above, four applications
were made to the Council prior to the 30th August. 1954, (when
the Housing Repairs and Rents Act came into force) for
certificates of unfitness for habitation under the Rent and
Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1920-1939. In these four
cases, the conditions found justified the issue of certificates
of unfitness, the operation of which is not affected by the new
1954 Act.
In two cases, the owners applied for the revocation of
unfitness certificates granted to their tenants, on the grounds
that the necessary repairs had been carried out. Both
applications were granted.
Houses in Multiple Occupation, (including hostels)
The provisions of the Housing Act, 1936, (Sections 6-8)
and the Public Health (London)Act, 1936, (Section 155), enabling
local authorities in London to make and enforce byelaws relating
to houses let in lodgings and hostels respectively, have been
superseded by provisions contained in Sections 11 and 12 of the
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, which apply to any house
or part of a house "which is let in lodgings or occupied by
members of more than one family." The new provisions replace
the power to make byelaws by a general power given to the
Council to require in houses which are in multi-occupation an
adequate provision of the following services and amenities :-