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tenements on the pre-war estates not complying with this standard was 236 out of
a total of 9,985, while 5 dwellings out of a total of 7,216 on the post-war estates
were found to be overcrowded. The overcrowding is due in a measure to the increase
with the course of time, of the ages of tenants' children, but mainly, of course, to
the continuance of the general shortage of accommodation and the consequent
difficulty of obtaining larger tenements. All the cases, however, although not complying
with the Council's regulations, fall short of contravening the by-laws made
under the Public Health Acts. The overcrowding will be remedied as opportunities
occur by transfers to larger tenements.
Under the Increase of Kent and Mortgage Interest (War Restrictions) Act,
1915, the additional rates which the Council had to pay in respect of the dwellings
were added to the rents payable by the tenants while, in accordance with the Increase
of Rent and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions) Act, 1920, the rents were further
increased as from September, 1920, by 30 per cent. of the net rents of 1914. In
July, 1921, the Council, as permitted by the last-mentioned Act, increased the
rents by an additional 10 per cent., thus making the full increase, namely, 40 per
cent., allowed by the Act. The amount produced by the increase in 1921-22,
was about £62,550, and, operating over a complete financial year, the 40 per cent.
increase produces about £66,500. These permitted increases have not been made
in respect of property forming part of slum clearance areas. The periodical revision
of rents consequent upon alterations in the rates involves a great amount of work,
the calculations affecting about 11,000 tenements with varying rents and rateable
values and situated in the areas of nearly thirty different local rating authorities.
Rent Restrictions
Acts.
In the Housing Accounts for 1922-23, details are given of the financial results
of the Council's housing schemes up to 31st March, 1923, but it may be apposite
to repeat here some of the more important figures. In this connection it is
necessary to preserve a clear distinction between the Non-Assisted Schemes promoted
before the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919, and the Assisted
Scheme promoted under that Act, the assistance taking the form of an annual
subsidy from the Government sufficient to ensure that the annual deficiency on
all Council and metropolitan borough council schemes shall not exceed the produce
of a penny rate.
Financial
results.
Dealing first with the Non-Assisted Schemes, the aggregate capital expenditure
on dwellings provided to 31st March, 1923, was £2,995,575. The financial result
of the year's working, after providing for interest and sinking fund charges on the
capital expenditure, was a surplus of £36,776, as compared with a surplus for the
preceding year of £17,004. The interest and sinking fund charges amounted to
£111,873, or 31.23 per cent. of the gross rental. Other outgoings amounted to
£207,422, or 57.9 per cent. of the gross rental, including £90,949 (25.2 per cent.
of the gross rental) for rates and taxes. The balance of the Acquisition of Lands
Fund and the difference between totals of debt charges on cash and stock bases
have been taken into account in arriving at these results.
As regards the 7,216 dwellings erected under the Assisted Scheme and in occupation
during the year, the financial result, after providing for interest and sinking fund
charges, was a deficiency of £199,548. This deficiency will be included in the amount
recoverable from H.M. Government. The interest and sinking fund charges amounted
to £342,418, and the expenditure on other outgoings accounted for (excluding rates
and taxes) was £42,916. The amount paid in respect of rates, taxes, etc., was
£61,647.
Some tenants left during the year without paying arrears of rent, but the amount
thus irrecoverable amounted only to £265, or about .05 per cent. of the total rent.
Rent irrecoverable.
The loss by empties during the year was £2,794, or .51 per cent. of the rent
as compared with .9 per cent in 1921-22. The loss by empties was, as usual,
mainly due to Carrington House not being fully occupied by lodgers, £2,502 of the
total loss being in respect of Carrington House. Excluding this the loss was only
£292.
Empties.