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B.—PREMISES USED FOR HUMAN HABITATION.
The only premises used for human habitation in respect of which there is a
system of registration are what are called "Houses let in Lodgings" and "Common
Lodging Houses." Rooms underground, if used as sleeping rooms or for human
habitation apart from rooms on the upper floors, though they are not definitely
registered, are required to comply with certain requirements contained in the Public
Health and Housing Acts and special regulations. They are referred to here for
this reason.
Houses Let in Lodgings:—Included under this head are all ordinary tenement
houses in which the rooms or floors are let out at rents below a certain sum. To
some extent as a result of housing shortage a very large proportion of the houses in
the Borough are of course so let, but only in the case of those in which the lettings
are below the sum fixed has the question of registration been raised. When the
new by-laws to be made by the London County Council under The Housing, Town
Planning, etc., Act, 1919, come into operation, the number of houses on the register
will be greatly increased since no provision whatever has been made for exemption.
All houses suitable for the working classes and occupied by members of more than
one family are subject to registration, and in them there must be compliance with
certain requirements as to sanitation, cleanliness, cleansing, etc.
During the year under review no additions were made to the list of registered
houses. Of houses of this class, five, all on the Council's site in Capland Street, were
demolished preparatory to the commencement of the housing scheme ; the actual
number on the register at the end of 1923 was therefore 1,115, most of which were
registered prior to the war and before rents had attained the present high figure.
In all 9,832 visits were paid to houses let in lodgings without regard to the
rentals, and 1,239 notices relating to cleansing and other defects were served under
the appropriate Acts.
Common Lodging Houses.—The following table contains all the necessary
particulars with regard to the licensed premises of this class in the Borough.