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48
General Housing Conditions. — The houses in the
Borough are mainly occupied by the artisan class. They
are mostly houses of three and four stories let in flats and
rooms.
The water closet accommodation, whilst conforming
with the standard laid down for tenement houses, cannot
be considered satisfactory, as in many instances two or
more families use the same water closet. These premises
were originally occupied by one family.
The rents charged for flats and rooms have increased
considerably, so much so that I find on investigation that
families are called upon to pay exhorbitant rents, in many
cases as much as 50 per cent, of the earnings being paid
in this direction. This compares with 16 per cent, to
17 per cent, of the family income paid for rent in pre-war
days.
This occurs in both Decontrolled and Controlled houses.
In the former, the owners have increased the rents of
the houses or let the various floors in flats at higher
rentals, whilst in the latter, the Superior Tenant has let
rooms, both furnished and unfurnished, at rentals which
enable them to retain two or three rooms rent free, and in
many cases receive more rent than that paid to the owner.
It is realised that tenants could make application to the
Courts under the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restrictions
Act, 1920-28, for an apportionment of rent in accordance
with the Standard Rent, but through fear of ejection and
unpleasant consequences refuse to take such action.
The result is that the spending power for food, clothing,
etc., is so greatly reduced as to have a serious effect
on the health of the family. I refer more particularly to
this part of the question in a later part of my report—
see page 11T.
I submit particulars of a few of the cases which have
been brought to my knowledge and extracted from the
reports of the officers of the Public Health Department.