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(g) Slow progress by builders in executing work. This has been brought about
mainly by the insufficiency of builders willing and able toundertake this
type of work.
(h) Delay by landlords proceeding with works at avery slow pace and by this
action preventing the Council from executing the work in default.
(i) Poor standard of work found in many cases which necessitates a larger
number of re-inspections and causes delay in the resultant alterations
necessary to amend the work.
(j) Genuine cases of hardship, particularly in the case of some old owner/
occupiers or old principal tenants who have sub-let and become liable to
carry out certain works as they are responsible for the multiple occupation.
The Housing Act, 1964, provides additional powers to remove some of the difficulties
experienced in administering the 1961 Act. These include: -
(a) Improved methods of recovering costsof carrying out work in default under
Part II of the Housing Act, 1961. The expenses of works carried out by
the local authority in default are made a charge on the property, and on
estates and interests in the premises, and the authority is given all the
powers of a mortgagee, including the power of sale to cover their costs.
(b) Penalties against landlords for failure to execute works under Part II of
the Housing Act, 1961.
(c) Means of operating (i) the power to require works and (ii) the power to
give a direction for the reduction of overcrowding (Sections 15 and 19
respectively of the Housing Act, 1961) in combination instead of alternatively.
(d) The obtaining of a Justice's warrant to enter premises for the purposes of
Part II of the Housing Act, 1961.
In addition, local authorities are empowered to make control orders in respect
of multi-occupied houses in which the living conditions are so bad as to justify urgent action
in the interest of people living in the house.
A control order enables a local authority to take possession, against all landlords
and proprietors, of premises and undertake all management duties subject to compensation
to the dispossessed landlord.
A control order remains in force for five years, unless it is revoked by the County
Court or by a higher tribunal or by the local authority.
The local authority are required to take such immediate steps as are necessary
for the protection of the residents' safety, welfare or health and subsequently to improve and
manage the house as well, in all respects, as they would have required a manager or person
in control to do under the provisions of Part II of the Housing Act, 1961.
So far the Council have found it necessary to use the 'control order' powers in
respect of only one house. This house was found to be in a deplorable physical condition,
had no gas or electricity supplies and had closed basement rooms illegally occupied. The
house was occupied by 20 persons in nine lettings. Some temporary works, to alleviate the
bad living conditions, were carried out after the Control Order was made but the large scale
improvements which were essential (costing in excess of £4,000) could not be carried out at
this stage as the freeholder had appealed against the Control Order and against the Council's
comprehensive scheme to render the premises fit.
The Control Order was made by the Council early in March 1965, but the appeals
were not heard until 17th September, 1965. Both appeals were dismissed in the County Court
with costs to the Council and the works were then put in hand.
Inspections were commenced in the Golborne Ward, in an area bounded by Acklam
Road, Portobello Road, Wornington Road and St. Ervans Road, and have now extended into
the Pembridge Ward. By the end of the year the total number of houses initially inspected
was 794.