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Section 9, Housing Act, 1957
During the year 109 premises were inspected and detailed specifications
prepared of works required to be carried out to render the dwellings in all respects
reasonably fit for human habitation, in accordance with Section 9 of the Housing
Act, 1957, to enforce all essential repairs providing this could be done at reasonable
cost.
Action was taken in the first instance by sending letters to owners enclosing
two copies of the specification and informing them that the Council would shortly be
giving consideration to exercising their powers under Section 9 and asking if they were
prepared to execute the works, in which case statutory procedure would not be necessary.
In nearly every case a prompt acknowledgement was forthcoming
requesting time to consider and to obtain builders' estimates, and subsequently an
undertaking from the owner to carry out work was received, in some instances after
a prior discussion on the matter.
It had been the intention to allow the owners two months for consideration
after which the authority of the Public Health Committee would have been sought
for service of Section 9 notices but in one instance only was this found necessary as
the responses of the owners were most surprisingly favourable.
At the end of the year on a substantial number of the properties the work
had been completed or was in progress and for the remainder a definite promise to
carry out the work had been received.
The following legal proceedings were taken during the year: