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101
report of last year that many owners consider it a sound policy to recondition
basements even at considerable cost rather than allow the rooms to
remain empty.
The number of basements which were reconditioned during the year
was considerably in excess of that for 1936, with the obvious result that
inspections and consultations between the inspectors of the Department
and owners, builders, &c., have increased proportionately.
Although some differences of opinion have arisen from time to time
with owners or leaseholders as regards the extent of reconditioning
necessary in no case have the difficulties proved insurmountable in the
preparation of satisfactory specifications. A noticeable feature has been
the tendency shown by owners to carry out improvements as the work
proceeds in addition to those embraced in the specification. This would
appear to indicate a genuine appreciation by owners of the need for
better housing conditions rather than a narrow or parsimonious conception
of the objects in view. The tendency to provide facilities for hot water
supplies and even baths is to be welcomed as is also the supply of artificial
lighting in yard W.Cs.
The scheme of general reconditioning of houses on the West side of
Aylesford Street has proceeded and is now approaching completion.
Of 17 houses, 9 have been reconditioned and the work was in progress
in most of those remaining. The results are satisfactory from more than
one point of view. The high standard of work carried out in the first one
or two houses, more or less experimentally, has been maintained ; the
reconditioned flats are being re-occupied by the working-class families
displaced from houses to be reconditioned in the same street; and the
rents charged vary little from those paid for similar accommodation prior
to reconditioning. In a few other instances, however, where whole houses
have been reconditioned, owing to the higher rents charged, and the type
of incoming tenant, the premises can no longer be recognized as being
working-class dwellings.
During the year a public utility society purchased three houses, two
of which have been reconditioned, the City Council making a grant of
£150 towards the cost.
In considering specifications of work for reconditioning of any
description in controlled or decontrolled houses, the bye-laws relating to
houses divided into separate tenements are taken as one of the guiding
principles.