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After the removal of a family, whether overcrowded or not, the
landlord is warned against re-letting the premises in an overcrowded
condition, and the premises are afterwards visited to ascertain the
number of persons who have taken the vacated accommodation.
From the small number of applications for permitted numbers
of persons received from householders who, by virtue of sub-letting
part or parts of their premises, are landlords within the meaning of the
Act, it is apparent that the householder-landlord does not appreciate
his responsibilities, and with a view to clarifying the position, the
following leaflet setting out the duties of a landlord in a simple form
has been prepared:—
SOUTHWARK HEALTH SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
Housing Act, 1936—Overcrowding Provisions.
To
On the 1st January, 1938, the overcrowding provisions of the
Housing Act, 1936, became operative in this Borough, and from that
date overcrowding, except in certain circumstances, became an oSence.
Overcrowding falls within two categories; and a dwelling is overcrowded
when
(a) the number of persons sleeping therein is greater than the
permitted number, or
(b) the number of persons sleeping therein is such that two or
more of those persons being ten years old or more, of opposite sexes
and not being persons living together as husband and wife must
sleep in the same room. ( (6) Can apply only to a one-roomed
dwelling, as if the dwelling contains two or more rooms it is always
possible to separate the sexes.)
A dwelling means any premises occupied as a separate dwelling by
members of the working classes or of a type suitable for such use. Therefore,
any part or parts of a house occupied by separate families are
regarded as separate dwellings.
In calculating the number of persons sleeping in a dwelling, children
over ten years of age are counted as persons, children between one and
ten years as half-persons, and children under one year are not counted
at all.