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Restriction of Rents Acts.—Eleven applications for certificates were
asked for and were granted in 10 instances.
Houses let in Lodgings.—At the end of 1923 there were 1,144 houses on
the register, 2,849 visits were paid to such houses, and notices were served
with reference to 346 defects. Statutory notices were served in 20
instances. No police court proceedings had to be taken to enforce them.
As has been pointed out previously, many of these houses are partly used
as work places, and consequently more visits than those stated have been
paid to the premises.
The by-laws drawn up by the County Council under the Housing
and Town Planning Act have not yet come into force on account of legal
difficulties.
Occupied Basements.—The County Council asked to be supplied with
information as to the number of houses in Westminster in which basements
were made use of for dwelling purposes, whether let separately or as part
of the rest of a house. The reply sent to the four questions asked is
appended:—
(a) Number of basements used for dwelling purposes 6,914
(b) Number of basement dwellings with ceilings at or
below the street level 2,620
(c) Number of basement dwellings in which the width of
area in street does not exceed 3 ft. 625
(d) Number of basement dwellings in which the width of
area in street does not exceed 4 ft. 636
Nearly half of the number under (a) are in the Victoria Ward and
a third are in Mayfair and Knightsbridge districts.
In a return made to the Ministry of Health in connection with the
London (Equalisation of Kates) Act, 1894, the number of "separately
numbered assessments of hereditaments wholly or partially used as
dwellings" was stated as being 27,199. At the Census in June, 1921, the
total number of dwellings was found to be 27,136, but 1,815 were vacant
on census night; that is to say, in the majority of cases the occupants were
away; but this figure also included some unoccupied premises. So far as
comparison can be made between the two sets of figures, it would
appear that the actual number of dwellings has increased.
It will be noticed below, under heading "Plans," that 24 houses have
been converted into flats and 10 stables into dwelling-houses during the
year.
Revenue Act.—One application was received and a certificate was
granted.
Below is a list of details of the work done in connection with insanitary
(5416)Q D 2