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of dwellings is suggested, the premises will in every instance be lacking
in ordinary amenities such as adequate water supply and sanitary
requirements, and planning will be of an unsatisfactory type and the
buildings in a state of dampness and constructional decay generally.
It is often only as a result of detailed inspection under Section 9
(Reconditioning) and estimation of the cost of reconditioning that a
decision can be made in many instances as to whether reconditioning
should be requested or the property be merely left to decay further,
outstanding nuisances being dealt with under the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936, (such matters as defective roofs, drainage, etc.) or
whether the only really adequate action is under Section 25 (Clearance).
For instance, the original list of properties placed before the London
County Council did not include 88 houses containing 116 families and
three blocks of flats housing 17 families in 17 dwellings which have been
found on detailed inspection to be so far advanced in decay as to make
action under Section 9 of the Housing Act (Reconditioning) an
unreasonable proceeding in view of the cost of repairs.
The principal Sections of the Housing Act, 1936, as amended by
the Housing Act, 1949, relating to inspection of district, repair of
insanitary houses and slum clearance are as follows:
Section 5 — Inspection of District
This section places upon the local authority the obligation to cause
an inspection of their district to be made from time to time in order to
ascertain whether any house therein is unfit for human habitation, and
for that purpose to comply with such regulations and to keep such records
as the Minister may prescribe. The regulations made by the Minister are
the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 and 1932, which require
the inspection to be made by the Medical Officer of Health or an officer
designated by the local authority and working under his direction and
supervision.
These regulations also enumerate the items to which particular
attention is to be directed when carrying out an inspection of a house,
the records to be kept and the statistics relating to such inspections
which the Medical Officer is required to include in his Annual Report.
Section 9 — Repair of Insanitary Houses
This Section enacts that where a local authority are satisfied that a
house which is in any respect unfit for human habitation is capable of
being rendered fit at a reasonable expense they must serve upon the
person having control of the house a notice which must specify: