View report page

63
In the South of the Borough especially, ground values appear to be increasing, and
this part is being more used for industrial purposes. In a number of instances working class
houses have either been demolished for the erection of business premises or have been converted
to this use.
3.—Overcrotvding. (a) Extent.
This continues to be very prevalent, but it is difficult to give definite statistics concerning
its prevalence owing to the absence of any satisfactory and reliable standard.
The Tenement House bye-laws at present require 300 cubic feet of free air space for
every person over 10 years of age, and 150 cubic feet for each child under 10 years occupying
a room used exclusively for sleeping purposes. In rooms not used exclusively as sleeping
apartments the requirements are 400 and 200 cubic feet respectively. It is stated in the byelaws
that when the Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Acts cease to be in force, the
requirement is to be 400 cubic feet per person, with no reduction for children.
A new bye law is, however, now contemplated by the London County Council in this
connection and is shortly to be submitted to the Minister of Health for approval. This will
require 400 cubic feet of air space for each person of 10 years of age or over, and 300 cubic
feet of free air space for each child under 10 years of age with reference to any room wholly
or partly used as a sleeping apartment.
In houses which are not tenement houses no standard is provided; any necessary action
with reference to overcrowding would be taken under the Public Heath (London) Act, and it
would be necessary to prove injury or danger to health.
In connection with accommodation provided under the new Housing Act (1930),
Sec. 37 of that Act regards a house containing two bedrooms as providing accommodation for
four persons, a house containing three bedrooms as providing accommodation for 5 persons,
and a house containing four bedrooms as providing accommodation for 7 persons. This
standard is definitely unreasonable, and must also prove to be unnecessarily expensive in
practice. No reference is made to the size of the rooms or to the age or sex of the occupants,
and, if strictly enforced, would exclude an infant from the room occupied by the parents.
The introduction of a definite and uniform standard appears to be desirable for all
working class houses, preferably based on cubic feet of free air space, with separation of the
sexes in sleeping apartments for persons over 12 years of age.
Based on the routine inspection of 4,217 working class houses carried out by the district
Sanitary Inspectors under the Public Health and Housing Acts, it has been ascertained that
6,989 persons are living at a density of three or more persons per room.
This is irrespective of size of room or the age or sex of the occupants.
(b) Causes. The causes of overcrowding are many and varied, and include the following:—
1. Inability to pay for adequate accommodation owing to low wages and large number
of dependent children. The following are typical cases:—
b. Man (labourer), wife and 12 children, eldest age 17. Family income from
50s. to 70s. per week. Two rooms, rent 8s. 9d.
h. Man, wife, 8 children, eldest age 16 (has heart disease). Two rooms,
rent 8s. 2d.
The man sells ice cream during the summer, is unemployed the remainder of
the year. In arrears with rent, and has parish relief.
Cases such as the above have usually lived in the same rooms for many years; in a
number of instances the rooms were taken when the parents married, and the children have