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92
HOUSING ACTS 1961 AND 1964
Houses in Multiple Occupation
The multi-occupation of houses in Lambeth is not a new phenomenen but has
existed for many years in certain areas without any real detriment or serious hazard
to health. This is no longer true, because whereas those houses were occupied, in
the main, by two families with well defined responsibilities in regard to cleanliness
and maintenance we find three, four or more families in occupation. Inevitably there
is over-occupation, lack of services and amenities and a greatly enhanced danger
from fire due to inadequate means of escape.
The problem is exacerbated by the conflict of habits and customs where a house
is occupied by families with differing backgrounds and the sharing of facilities and
amenities must perforce take place.
Whilst the drift of population to the South East and the intense housing shortage
are the major factors giving rise to the present unsatisfactory position, the continuing
shortage of housing accommodation must not be allowed to deter local authorities,
landlords and private organisations from using all possible means to improve living
conditions under which a generation of children will grow to maturity.
Information obtained from house-to-house surveys and a year's working of the
London Borough of Lambeth (Registration of Houses in Multiple Occupation)
Scheme 1966 confirm that there are two distinct problems in dealing with multiple
occupation in the Borough.
Firstly, the areas of old obsolescent houses, mainly in the six central wards,
which are not unfit for human habitation under Section 4 Housing Act 1957 but are,
to a marked degree, unfit for reasonable living conditions because of overcrowding
and lack of basic amenities and services.
Under existing powers the Department seeks to alleviate conditions by way of
management orders, directions under Section 19 Housing Act, 1961 and wherever
possible, by advice and suggestions on the spot by officers of the Department.
Despite the efforts of a dedicated staff it is well apparent that this problem must
be dealt with on an area basis. These are areas of the worse possible kind of
housing stress and without a measure of decrowding it is well nigh impossible to
find space for the installation of amenities, or indeed produce a viable unit of
accommodation containing the basic standard amenities even for shared use by
families. In this day and age of progress in practically every other facet of environmental
health, is it too much to ask that each family has the use of these basic
amenities?
Whatever improvements are attained, it follows that there must be a measure of
control to maintain standards achieved. This is where a Registration Scheme offers
great advantages. Our present Scheme has revealed in operation certain hidden
advantages, not the least important being the fact that its existence is notified on
every Land Charge Search where properties are changing ownership. This has