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79
HOUSING ACTS 1961 AND 1964
Houses in Multiple Occupation
One of the most serious health problems of the Borough is the number of
houses which are in multiple occupation; are overcrowded; the kitchens are
shared by two or more families; the water closet is used by too many people to
be adequate, and where baths and hot water supplies are absent or defective.
These houses are also a potential fire risk as many of the tenants use
portable oil heaters in congested and overcrowded rooms and no means of escape
in case of fire has been provided.
The Council was of the opinion that additional powers were needed to deal
with this problem, particularly in the central part of the Borough where a large
number of immigrants from the Commonwealth have settled. Discussions were
started with the Minister of Housing and Local Government early in the year with
a view to making the Registration of Houses in multiple occupation compulsory
in the Herne Hill, Tulse Hill, Ferndale, Town Hall, Clapham Park and Clapham
Town Wards of the Borough. On 8th September, 1966 the Minister confirmed the
London Borough of Lambeth (Registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation)
Scheme 1966, making it the duty of owners to supply information to the Council of
any house situated in the above Wards, which is occupied by more than two
families, to enable the property to be registered.
The Scheme was given publicity in the local press, by posters and a
booklet was prepared giving information of the Scheme and the Council's
requirements for houses in multiple occupation.
The Registration Scheme, in itself, will not bring about any quick solution
to this immense problem, and it has not been in force long enough yet to enable
me to judge its value in controlling the problem.
However, from the information which is now being collated from house-tohouse
surveys and the information from the registration forms, it would appear
that there are two separate problems in multiple occupation in the Borough.
First, there are the areas of old houses which although obsolescent are not
so bad that they can be included in the Slum Clearance Programme, but which are
unfit because of the space available to individual households (persons per room)
and the privacy available to the households (sharing accommodation and facilities)
and the potential high fire risk of these houses.
In these houses it is difficult to obtain any reduction in overcrowding or, in
fact, find available rooms spare to install additional water closets, baths and
kitchens without some of the tenants being decanted. It is considered that new