View report page

44
repair, maintenance, cleansing and good order of the water supply,
drainage, communal kitchens, bathrooms and water closets, staircases,
corridors, outbuildings and gardens, and to make adequate provision for
the disposal of refuse.
When these regulations are in force the Council may apply them by
order to any house in multiple occupation which is in an unsatisfactory
state due to failure to maintain proper standards of management, and
the regulations will then apply to that house so long as the order is in
force. There is a right of appeal to the Magistrates' Court against the
making of the order. Similarly, the owner of a house to which an order
has been applied, may ask the Council to revoke it and if the Council
refuses to do so, he may appeal to the Court. The penalty for failure
to comply with the regulations while an order is in force is not exceeding
£20 for a first offence and not exceeding £100 or up to three months
imprisonment (or both) for a subsequent offence.
There is also provision for the Council to serve a notice requiring the
manager of the house to carry out such works as are necessary in its
opinion to bring the house up to the standards set by the regulations.
There is a right of appeal to the Court against the notice and there are
default powers whereby the Council may itself do the work and recover
the cost.
The Council is also given powers to require the person having control
of a house let in multiple occupation to execute such works as it may
think necessary to provide satisfactory lighting, ventilation, water supply,
personal washing facilities, drainage and sanitary conveniences, food
storage and cooking facilities, and space heating. It may withdraw the
notice requiring these works if the number of persons occupying the house
is reduced so as to render the works unnecessary. It may also, after
consultation with the fire authority, serve notice requiring the provision
of adequate means of escape in case of fire. Further, there is a right of
appeal to the County Court and default powers for the Council to do the
work itself and recover the cost.
The Council is also given a supplementary power of limiting (by
direction) the number of individuals who should be accommodated in a
house let in multiple occupation having regard to its condition and,
if such a direction is in force, it is the duty of the occupier not to permit
any person to take up residence so as to increase the number of residents
above the limit so fixed. The direction may be revoked or varied if the
condition of the house warrants it. The Council may serve on the
occupiers of houses to which the direction applies notices requiring them
to furnish full particulars of all persons residing in a house let in multiple
occupation.
At any time after November, 1964, the Council may make and submit
to the Minister for confirmation a scheme authorising it to compile and
maintain a register of all dwellings in multiple occupation in Westminster.