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37
A considerable amount of building has been carried out
in Hampstead. The number of new dwellings (houses and flats)
built by private enterprise in I960 was 55 (19 premises). The
Borough Council has been very largely concerned in dealing with
the problems of the derequisitioning of houses and has provided
449 dwellings (134 premises) by the conversion or repair of
existing houses. During the year 27 new flats were completed
and schemes for the redevelopment of the Fleet Road area and
parts of the Abbey Estate are in an advanced stage.
Housing Act, 1957. Section 9
For some years the repair of houses required by the
Council has been largely confined to those cases in which the
tenant has made complaint and action is generally taken under
that part of the Public Health (London) Act, 1936 which deals
with statutory nuisances.
This procedure, however, has its limitations and whilst
a great deal of work of repair is undoubtedly done of which the
Council is unaware, much remains undone because the tenants,
with or without security of tenure, are often unwilling to complain
to the Council because of possible repercussions from the landlord.
This applies particularly, of course, to furnished tenancies.
The Public Health Committee has therefore agreed that
an increased number of houses should be inspected where it is
thought that defects exist, although no complaint has been received
and that greater use should be made of Section 9 of the Housing
Act, 1957. This Section allows for the service of a notice
requiring works to be done if a house is unfit for human habitation
and if it can be made fit at reasonable cost. Unlike the Public
Health (London) Act it can be used where a house is unoccupied
and it does allow for certain items to be included which could not
be dealt with by a nuisance notice. In addition, the subsequent
sections of the Act allow the Council to carry out the necessary
works in default.
On the application of Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1957
to a part of a building, there appeared to be some doubt and
Counsel's opinion was obtained. This was to the effect that
a part of a house which was separately let was a "house" for
the purposes of this Section. It follows that any separate letting