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B. Proceedings under Public Health Acts:—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which notices were
served requiring defects to be remedied 352
(2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects were remedied
after service of formal notices: —
(a) by owners 352
(b) by Local Authority in default of owners nil
C. Proceedings under Sections 11, 14, and 15 of the Housing
Act, 1925: —
(1) Number of representations made with a view to the making
of Closing Orders nil
(2) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing
Orders were made nil
(3) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Closing
Orders were determined, the dwelling-houses having been
rendered fit nil
(4) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which Demolition
Orders were made nil
l'5) Number of dwelling-houses demolished in pursuance of
Demolition Orders nil
Construction of Underground Rooms.
The use of underground rooms for sleeping purposes in London is subject to
compliance with the provisions of the Public Health (London) Act, 1891, the
Housing Act, 1925, and especially the Regulations made by Local Authorities
under the latter Act. In Holborn there recently has been occasion to consider
questions relating to the construction of underground rooms.
Plans for new buildings have to be submitted to the London County Council
for approval under the London Building Act and to the Local Authority for
approval so far as drainage work is concerned. For the latter purpose plans were
submitted in connection with a block of flats proposed to be constructed in the
Borough. The plans disclosed an intention to construct underground sleeping
rooms. It appeared that the rooms if constructed as shown on the plans would
not comply with the Regulations and their use for sleeping would have called for
action to prevent illegal occupation. It seemed a weakness in Public Health law
that no municipal authority has any power to prevent the construction of underground
rooms which would not be in compliance with the Regulations when used
as sleeping rooms. It is true that on occupation of the rooms the Local Authority
could take steps to deal with the matter by way of closing order, but such a course
in the case of newly-erected dwellings would, to say the least of it, be inconvenient
for the tenant who bad moved in in all good faith, uneconomical for the owner who
might be faced with the loss of rent or considerable outlay for reconstruction, and