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inspected are deficient in water closet accommodation, water supply,
sinks, ventilation, which the Council consider to be reasonable according
to the terms of Section 15 of the Housing Act,. 1961. In particularly
difficult cases where the co-operation of the owner is not forthcoming,
it has been necessary to enter upon the premises and carry out the
work required to provide a reasonable standard of amenities. The
cost of this work is recoverable from the owner.
This type of house is found where the occupation is constantly
changing and repeated inspection is necessary to curb the tendency
toward overcrowding and to ensure that the amenities available are
adequate for the number of persons or rooms within the house.
During the year under review the initial inspections were carried
out with respect to 79 houses in multiple occupation and it was found
that the number of separate lettings or dwellings within the houses
extended from two to nine as shown in the diagram -
During the year the Government issued the Housing (Management
of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Regulations 1962 in accordance with
the provisions of the Housing Act, 1961, S.13. These Regulations
are designed to secure reasonable maintenance, repair, cleansing and
good working order of the various facilities within houses in multiple
occupation; they can be summarised as follows:-
Under the Regulations duties of management are imposed on "the
manager", i.e. the owner or lessee of the premises who is receiving
the rents from tenants of parts of the premises or from lodgers, and
his agent or trustee, if any, through whom he receives the rents.
These duties are, broadly, to ensure the good order, repair and (as
appropriate) cleanliness of the following:-
Means of water supply and drainage; lighting and heating
installations; rooms, and installations for sanitation and cooking, in
common use; other parts of the premises in common use, e.g. halls,
staircases and passageways; windows and other means of ventilation;
means of escape from fire; common outbuildings, yards, gardens, etc.
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