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Undertakings to the effect that the basement rooms, upon vacation,
would not be relet for human habitation until rendered fit for
that purpose were acceptcd in connection with 41 unfit underground
rooms comprised in 19 houses and undertakings in respect of 3 houses
were cancelled after the rooms had been made to comply with the
Council's' regulations.
In 44 houses, 46 underground rooms were made fit by the owners
on being informed that the rooms did not comply in all respects with
the regulations following representation by the Medical Officer of
Health.
As a result of informal action 331 underground rooms were made
fit for habitation without representation.
Statistics are not available for a complete year under Part IV of the Housing
Act, 1936, as the " appointed day " when the overcrowding provisions came into
force in Islington was not made until the 1st October, 1938, but the following figures
are submitted which give an indication that overcrowding in the Borough is
decreasing:—
Number of overcrowded families revealed by 1935
Survey 6,757
Number of overcrowded families (1938 Survey) 3,534
Number of cases of overcrowding abated since 1935 3,223
This decrease is attributable to the following:—
1. Families finding their own accommodation.
2. Re-housing by Borough Council.
3. Re-housing by London County Council.
During the year 1938 little difficulty was experienced in obtaining the measurements
of rooms and it was only necessary to take legal proceedings in regard to one
house where permission to enter was refused after 24 hours' notice of the intention
to visit was given. This resulted in a fine of 40s. and 40s. costs.
During the year 1938 the total number of houses demolished following
representation by the Medical Officer of Health under Section 25 of the
Housing Act, 1936, was 47
The total number of houses in the Borough in 1938 was considered to be 46,360
1938 72