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Consumer Protections Act, 1961
The provisions of this Act and the regulations made thereunder are enforced by the
public health inspectors.
Particular attention was given during the year to secure compliance with the Oil
Heater Regulations at premises selling second-hand oil heaters to ensure that unsafe
heaters were not on sale. The London Fire Brigade reported on fires in which oil
heaters were involved. Retailers were advised to offer for sale only oil heaters which
bore a BSI mark and specified warning notice, were in good condition and included
operating instructions.
Gas and electric fires were found on sale which did not comply with the Fireguard
Regulations. Most second-hand dealers were supplied with details of the test probes
in order that they could check for themselves the spacing between the bars of fireguards
and their distance from the heating element or flames. The Toys (Safety) Regulations
prohibit the sale of cellulose nitrate toys and limit the amount of lead, arsenic,
antimony, barium, cadmium and chromium in the paint on toys. One contravention
of these regulations was found during the year.
Registration of Hairdressers
The number of hairdressing establishments registered under the Greater London
Council (General Powers) Act, 1967, is 217. Few contraventions of the byelaws
made under the Act were found. In view of the increase in the use of wigs, hairdressers
and wigmakers were warned of the dangers of using benzene, carbon tetrachloride
and trichloraethylene for cleaning wigs, except in the open air or in well
ventilated rooms.
Coin Operated Launderettes
There has been an increase in the number of complaints regarding noise and effluvia
nuisances produced at these premises, due not only to the greater number being
opened, but also due to the installation of larger boilers and machines and coin
operated dry cleaning machines.
The power to control the installation of the apparatus, the operation and maintenance
of these premises is limited but every effort is made to persuade those installing
the equipment and the subsequent operators to use the best practicable means to
avoid complaints being made later when it may be more difficult to rectify the cause.
HOUSING ACTS 1957—1969
(a) Clearance Areas
These are formed when groups of houses are found to be unfit for habitation under
Section 4 of the Housing Act, 1957, as amended by the Housing Act, 1969, and
when it is felt that the best method of dealing with conditions in an area is by way
of demolition of all the properties. Following the declaration of an area, one of two
ways of achieving this result is open to the Council: the first by way of a clearance
order, or the more common procedure of acquiring the houses and land, generally
by making a compulsory purchase order, so that the Council are able to carry out
redevelopment. A survey of the Borough was carried out during the year to identify
possible areas for this action in the years 1970-73. As a result, comparatively few
areas of this nature are now thought to require this treatment.
(b) Individual Unfit Dwellings
There are several ways by which unfit dwellings are required to be made fit. Those
which are found capable of being made fit at reasonable expense can be dealt with
under Section 9 of the Housing Act, 1957, by the service of notices. It is usual to
first serve an informal notice before taking formal action. The latter, if not complied
with, can be subject to default action whereby the Council have the work done
by the invitation of tenders and arranging a contract with a builder. The cost of
this work can then be recovered in one of several ways.
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