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were retained under Sections 36 and 90 of the 1957 Act. However,
powers enabling the Council to enforce standards under Section 36
proved to be inadequate and were repealed by Part II of the
Housing Act, 1961. Regulations were made subsequently by the
Minister under Section 13 of the new Act providing a management
code for Councils to apply to Houses in Multiple Occupation.
Further, for the purpose of implementing the provisions of Section
15 of the Housing Act, 1961, the Council, on the 14th November,
1962, adopted the standards of provision of amenities, as suggested
in the joint report of the Advisory Bodies of Town Clerks and
Medical Officers of Health of Metropolitan Borough Councils.
This Directorate has always given advice concerning houses in
multiple occupation to anyone requesting information. Leaflets in
printed form giving details of the minimum requirements for such
premises have now been supplied to local estate agents and are
available through various Departments of the Council for potential
house purchasers.
During the year, 868 visits were made by the Housing Inspectors.
It was found necessary to serve 107 informal and 14 formal notices
requiring the execution of works under this Act.
Recent years have seen a steady growth in the number of houses
being used to accommodate several families or households. In
particular, immigrants often find it necessary to purchase houses
to gain shelter, invariably with the aid of high interest rate mortgages.
As repayments take such a large portion of income, resort
is had to the letting of rooms, despite the fact that many properties
are unsuitable for the numbers accommodated. Such a situation
calls for action to prevent deterioration of premises and
communities and the extension of slums and social evils. In view
of the new and strengthened powers for regulating conditions in
Houses in Multiple Occupation contained in the Housing Act,
1969, the Council, towards the end of 1970, decided that it would
(a) take action to formulate a combined informatory and
regulatory scheme for the control of Houses in Multiple
Occupation and,
(b) to apply such scheme to the whole of the Borough.
In exercise of their powers under Section 22 of the Housing
Act, 1961, as amended by Section 70 of the Housing Act, 1964,
and Section 58 of the Housing Act, 1969, as extended by Section
64 of the same Act, the Council introduced the following scheme:—
Citation and Interpretation
1. This scheme may be cited as the London Borough of Greenwich
(Registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Informatory and Regulatory
Scheme 1971.