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74
Lambeth was included in the Schedule to the Housing Act 1935,
(Operation of Overcrowding Provisions) Order (No. 4), 1936, in
which the appointed day for the purposes of section 6 of the Act
(which provides for entry in rent books or similar documents of a
summary in the prescribed form of certain provisions of the Act
relating to overcrowding) is January 1st, 1937, and the appointed
day for the purposes of sections 3 and 8 (which contain provisions
relating to offences in relation to overcrowding) and sections 4 and
68 of the Act is July 1st, 1937.
A family were rehoused by the County Council from two rooms
which were subsequently let by the owner who had been warned
to be careful when reletting not to allow overcrowding to occur
again. The new tenants consisted of a man, wife and one childSome
time later three other children who had been staying elsewhere
rejoined the family and the permitted number of 3 for the letting
was exceeded by 2½ units.
The owner's attention was directed to the re-overcrowding and
an explanation asked, when it transpired that the tenant had given
false information of the number in his family. Proceedings were
taken by the owner and an order for possession obtained, but not
before the tenant had written a letter of complaint to the Prime
Minister.
Six cases were reported where overcrowding had been caused
after the appointed day (1st July, 1937). Overcrowding has been
abated in five cases out of the six by the action of the owner in
each case after his attention had been called informally to the
circumstances.
Rehousing (Abatement of Overcrowding—Housing Act, 1936).
During the year, 484 cases of overcrowding were referred to the
County Authority with a view to the provision of suitable alternative
accommodation. The total number of cases submitted in this way
since the beginning of 1936 is 988.
113 families were rehoused during the year, and the total number
of cases rehoused by the County Authority in connexion with the
abatement of overcrowding is 283.