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99
In view of the unavoidable time which must elapse between the receipt of
an application and its approval, the statistics given above take no account
of the very considerable increase in grants which is expected in 1970 as a
result of the new provisions and which was indicated by the number of enquiries
and applications being received by the end of the year.
Standard Grants
The main amendments made by the Housing Act, 1969 to the provision
regarding standard grants were the removal from the list of basic amenities
of the requirement relating to a ventilated food cupboard and the inclusion
of a sink, and the raising of the maximum amount of grant payable in respect
of each amenity so that where all seven of the new amenities are being provided
for the first time the total amount of grant has been increased from £155 to
a maximum of £200. The conditions concerning rent limits and sale of the
property have also been removed.
Four applications for standard grants were received during the year in
respect of individual premises, All four applications were approved.
Qualification Certificates
Part III of the Housing Act, 1969, introduced new powers governing rents
of controlled tenancies whereby landlords can apply to the Rent Officer to
have a tenancy changed to a regulated tenancy where the dwelling has been
certified by the local authority to meet certain qualifying conditions.
On receipt of an application from the landlord of a controlled
tenancy, the Council may issue a Qualification Certificate if they are
satisfied that the dwelling was provided, before the 25th August 1969, with
all the standard amenities for the exclusive use of the occupier, is in
good repair having regard its age, character and locality, and is in all
other respects fit for human habitation.
If at the time of application the dwelling does not possess all the
standard amenities, the applicant must submit to the Council details of the
works proposed by him to provide those which are lacking. Certificate of
Provisional Approval may then be issued to the landlord and submitted by him
to the Rent Officer who will then issue a Certificate of Fair Rent. The
Council may only issue a full Qualification Certificate on completion of the
proposed works and production of the Certificate of Fair Rent.
When a Qualification Certificate has been obtained by the landlord, he
may submit it to the Rent Officer and have a fair rent registered in respect
of the new regulated tenancy. Any resultant increase in rent is phased over
a number of years.

Seventy-four of the above applications were still being dealt with by
the end of the year.
House Purchase Loans
During the year, thirty-four properties were inspected as the result of
applications to the Council for house purchase loans.