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longer fit for human habitation. The Council is proceeding with the
clearance and re-development of the Campsbourne Area and a number
of single houses in other parts of the Borough have been closed or
demolished where this action appeared to be necessary, (see Table
page 19). This type of work is really a continuation of slum
clearance carried out by the department.
Another aspect of housing calling for very much greater attention
is the problem of overcrowding and houses in multiple occupation.
These houses are brought to light in the course of routine inspections
by the public health inspector or because of complaint from the
occupiers or from people living nearby. Information from the Housing
Department concerning applications for Council housing also reveals the
multiple use of houses which were previously occupied by only one or
two families.
The practice is growing up of dividing three or four storey
houses of up to ten or twelve rooms, into "single room flats" and
this type of accommodation is even now being advertised on some of
the private advertisement boards to be seen outside shops in some
parts of the Borough. When these houses are inspected it is
frequently found that the so called flats are overcrowded even according
to the low standard which is laid down in the Housing Act.
The owner has in most cases neglected his responsibility to
make adequate enquiries as to the size of the family to whom he
lets the accommodation nor does he inform them of the maximum
number of persons permitted by the Housing Act to occupy that
accommodation. Proof that the owner knew that the premises
would become overcrowded is not readily forthcoming since the owner
of such a house is not inclined to admit his default, whilst the tenant
is disinclined to make a full statement of the circumstances. It
has been suggested that the tenant does not wish to confirm that the
owner knew that overcrowding would occur in order that he will not
encourage the owner to evict him. The department finds this
explanation difficult to accept because in these houses the accommodation
is frequently furnished and therefore the tenant has no security
of tenancy, or, if the accommodation is unfurnished the tenancy
probably commenced after the introduction of the Rent Act and therefore
the tenancy is not controlled. Furthermore the service of a
notice regarding overcrowding on the owner, requires the owner to
take all the necessary action to secure the abatement of the overcrowding
and this normally means the early eviction of the tenant.
Under the Housing Act the Council can declare the standards
of amenities and sanitary facilities which should be available in
houses in multiple occupation in the Borough. The Hornsey Borough
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