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102
The houses for inspection and to be dealt with under the Housing
Acts are, in the first instance, selected by the Medical Officer of
Health, and afterwards approved by the Public Health Committee, as
the Housing Authority, the worst houses being chosen for the
purpose. It is obvious that by such an arrangement only the
very worst houses can be dealt with by the present Housing
Inspectorial Staff (2 officers only), devoting their whole time. The
above record of work done may be regarded as representing the maximum
work that is to be expected proportionately, year by year, and,
having regard to the numbers of houses within the Borough, it is clear
that the question as to the appointment of extra Housing Inspectors
is still pressing, if the maximum good is to be obtained from the
Housing Acts.
In only one instance (21, Pulross Road) has it been necessary for
the Council to do the work on behalf of the owner and to surcharge
the property (vide ante).
The present shortage of new houses (municipally or through
private enterprise) is such as to render an obligation upon the Council
to do the next best thing, viz., to render reasonably fit for human
habitation in all respects the houses which at present exist, and which,
owing to existing over-crowding and crowding, tend to become, and do,
as a fact, actually become seriously dilapidated, fair wear and tear doing
their worst under present conditions of usage. Another point that is to
be emphasized is the necessity, in the opinion of the Medical Officer of
Health, for the Council, as the Housing Authority, to exercise its full
powers, and within reasonable time, as set out in the Housing Acts, so
as to secure the work being done by the Council and the premises
surcharged in all cases in which the owners fail to comply with the
legal notices served. The Courts have decided that the time limit
must be "reasonable," and it cannot be said that the Lambeth routine
practice in any way goes against this decision ; on the contrary, in
lambeth more than "reasonable" time is allowed in every case.
First comes the official survey by the Housing Inspector (due notice of
the survey having previously been given to the owners and occupiers
concerned), followed by the service of the preliminary or informal
schedule of work required to be done. The time limit allowed for
these schedules to be commenced is three to six months, often extended
to twelve months. Then comes the service of the legal notice (served
through the Town Clerk, on behalf of the Council), with an additional
time limit, within which the work is to be completed.
This is the point at which, in the opinion of the Medical Officer of