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In the area dealt with to date, the houses mainly consist of a
basement and three storeys, with a back addition, usually to the basement and
ground floors. In some cases, the basement rooms are subject to closing
orders. In the past, these houses have been occupied by a family on each
floor, but due largely to the settling of immigrants in this area, many have
been found to be in one-room lettings. The majority of the houses in the area
have no bathroom and, generally, there is one internal water closet situated
on the ground floor or first half-landing, with an external water closet in
the rear yard, the latter normally used only by the basement tenant.
The requirements generally have, therefore, been for the provision
of at least one bath in every house, and in some cases an additional internal
water closet, together with a hot water supply and exclusive facilities for the
cooking, preparation and storage of food in each separate letting.
Where there are one-room lettings it has been found mainly that
kitchens are shared or cooking facilities are provided on landings. In these
cases, the provision of hot and cold water supplies, sinks, food storage and
cooking facilities have also been required within each letting.
In a number of cases, the baths have been installed in the ground
floor back addition rooms and, where additional water closet accommodation has
been necessary, it has been possible to provide it in the new bathroom, in
those cases where there is a separate water closet also available.
Where the back addition rooms are occupied, the bathrooms have been
provided by building up the back addition by an additional storey.
IMPROVEMENT OR CONVERSION OF EXISTING HOUSES
Owners of private dwellings may apply to the Council for assistance
towards carrying out work of improvement or conversion. One aim is to
encourage owners to provide services and amenities in houses which are sound
but which were built to a lower standard than is generally acceptable
nowadays. The other is to encourage the provision of additional satisfactory
dwellings, either by converting the large outmoded house from one dwelling
into a number of flats, or by converting an old building into one or more
dwellings.
Grants are not intended to help owners meet the cost of ordinary
repairs and renewals, nor are they intended to adapt a perfectly adequate
dwelling to the needs of a particular family. They are not normally payable
for the provision of extra living rooms or bedrooms, or for increasing the
size of existing rooms. They are not payable for the improvement of premises
used primarily or partly for business purposes.
Two methods of application are available. The first is to apply
for an improvement grant - known as a discretionary grant - under the
Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1958. The maximum grant payable is
one-half of the approved expenditure (which must not be less than £100)
subject to a maximum allowance of £500.