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The cost of repairs particularly to old property remains a
serious problem both for owners and for the Council who themselves
carry out the necessary work when a Court Order is ignored,
collecting rents to recoup themselves and registering a charge
upon the property.
Under the London County Council (General Powers) Act 1955.
the Council may in cases of urgency in lieu of obtaining a
Court Order serve a notice on the owner or occupier of defective
premises setting out the defects and stating that it intends to
remedy them itself. If the owner does not within seven days
serve a counter-notice stating that he intends to execute the
works and does not within a reasonable time thereafter commence
and diligently proceed with the works the Council may after the
expiration of nine days from the service of the notice execute
the works and recover the expense reasonably incurred in doing
so from the person upon whom the notice was served.
At the end of the year there were 130 cases outstanding from
which some £7,614 was owing while in 35 others the estimated
cost of warks approved but not completed was £2,624.