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16
Allegations of harassment fall, by and large, into one of three categories—malicious or trumpery
allegations by disgruntled tenants or ex-tenants; cases where the landlord and tenant are shown to be
equally blameworthy; or where the landlord is deliberately attempting to make life impossible for an
inoffensive tenant. The cause of harassment also usually falls into one of three classes—a controlled
tenant paying a rent which the landlord considers too low (this is particularly so when heavy mortgage
repayments have to be met by the owner); the landlord's wish to accommodate his family or relatives;
or personal antagonism between the parties.
In addition to investigating some fifty allegations of harassment or eviction the Public Health
Inspectors were called upon to make enquiries into twenty-three cases where rent books had not been
provided. Few of the investigations brought to light any circumstances requiring action specifically
by the Health Department. It can be said, however, that diplomatic and timely intervention by the
Inspectors has in many cases averted what would have otherwise become an inflammatory situation.
Slum Clearance
Upon amalgamation it became necessary for a reappraisal to be made of the division of responsibility
for slum clearance between the City Council and the Greater London Council. Negotiations on this
matter were continuing at the end of the year.
The statutory quinquennial programme of slum clearance for the years 1966-1970 was prepared
individually by the three amalgamating Councils, agreed with the London County Council, and
accepted by the new City Council. The current programme together with the outstanding sites from
previous years involves 859 houses and an estimated 1,781 families.
Areas for slum clearance are comparatively small, but modern building techniques and ideas on
town planning have led over the last decade to much bigger areas being considered for redevelopment.
While this is to be encouraged and the areas designated for slum clearance are usually incorporated
in the larger areas, this changed outlook gives rise to its own problems. From the Health Department's
viewpoint the chief problem is that the size of the development areas, with their necessarily
longer time to come to fruition, leads to pockets of properties which are ripe for demolition or
modernization remaining occupied. There are properties within the Piccadilly Redevelopment Scheme,
for example, which, while not in the slum clearance programme, are in a bad state of repair, but the
Redevelopment Scheme inhibits the Health Department from making extensive demands. The current
proposals (August, 1966) are the subject of consultation between the City Council and the Greater
London Council but no firm dates for redevelopment are available.
The increasing co-operation between local authorities and private developers is noteworthy.
Rehousing existing tenants is frequently a stumbling block for large scale private developers. Where
a mixed residential and business development is envisaged it is sometimes to the advantage of both
parties for the local authority to rehouse the tenants and for the developers to lease the residential
part of the development to the local authority while retaining the business part. By this method,
or variations thereon, property which would otherwise have remained sterile can be developed and the
authority's pool of housing accommodation increased.
Unfit Houses
Under the Housing Act, 1957, when a local authority is satisfied that a part of a house is unfit for
human habitation and is not capable at reasonable expense of being rendered fit, and if no satisfactory
undertaking regarding the use of the premises is received from the owner, a closing order may be made.
Such an order prohibits the use of the premises for any purpose not approved by the authority.
The unfitness of a house (or part) is judged on its state of repair, stability, freedom from damp, lighting,
ventilation, water supply, drainage and sanitary conveniences, and food storage facilities.
Also under the Act, regulations may be made by the local authority for securing the proper
ventilation and lighting and protection against dampness, effluvia or exhalation in an underground
room. In general terms an underground room is one in which the floor is more than three feet below
the level of the nearest street or any ground within nine feet. It is the reference to the nearest street
which brings the back rooms in the basements of many premises within the definition although the
floor may be level with the back garden. If such a room fails to comply with the regulations, closing
order procedure can be taken. Such regulations were made by each of the three Councils now
amalgamated to form the new City Council, and these are still in operation. Difficulty is not encountered
by having three sets of regulations as they do not differ in any essential, but a single set of
regulations for use throughout the new City is being prepared.
The extent to which unfit rooms or, indeed, houses can be considered as incapable of repair at a
reasonable expense is constantly changing with building costs and the value of property. However,
the initiative is always with the owner of the property, who can at any time, either before or after the
making of a closing order, submit schemes for rehabilitating the premises. (See Table 17, page 60.)