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35
these notices the work is carried out in default and during the past
year this was necessary on five occasions.
The work carried out by owners, both voluntarily and following
the service of notices, resulted in ninety-three houses being brought
up to standard.
In eighteen instances, owners who had received either formal
or informal notification that work was required reduced the number
of lettings in their premises and in these circumstances no
further action was taken.
In continuation of our efforts to limit the number of tenants in
over-occupied premises which do not comply with the required
standards, four Notices of Intention were served giving notice of
the Council's intention to restrict the number of occupants. Subsequently
four Direction Orders were served fixing the number of
occupants of the premises, and five variations were made to
Direction Orders where owners had put in extra facilities. Two
summonses were taken out during the year for contravention of
Direction Orders and the Court findings were as follows : —
Case (1) — £15 fine, £5 costs.
Case (2) — £10 fine, £10 costs.
In six instances where squalor existed, Management Orders were
made; these Orders require the person managing the premises to
ensure the cleanliness, repair and maintenance of all the common
parts of the property.
In two instances, application had to be made to the Courts for
warrants to enter where owners have refused access to both inspectors
and builders.
Multiple occupation is a serious and growing problem in the
Borough and unless tackled in an energetic and forthright manner
shows little chance of being overcome or even contained in
the foreseeable future. This type of work is extremely arduous on
the staff employed. Visits frequently have to be made at night and
weekends, in view of the fact that the majority of occupants are
never at home in the daytime, and the inspector is often received
with suspicion and even hostility on occasions. Difficulty has been,
and always will be, experienced in obtaining the right staff for this
type of work.
Housing Act, 1969
This Act came into force on 25th August and not only made
important changes in the law concerning improvement and repair
of houses but also in the rents chargeable for privately-owned
dwellings.
Provided that a rent-controlled dwelling satisfies the qualifying
conditions, a landlord is empowered to apply to the Rent Officer
for an increase in rent. Although no rent increase can take effect
before 1st January, 1971, 411 applications for qualification