View report page

22
B.—PREMISES USED FOR HUMAN HABITATION.
The only premises used for human habitation in respect of which there ever
has been 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 Act 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 separately. To some extent as a
result of housing shortage a very large proportion of the houses in the Borough
are of course so let, and under by-laws made by the London County Council under
"The Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919," the number placed on the
register will be greatly increased since no provision whatever has been made for
exemption.
During the year under review the only list of registered houses in existence
was that under the old by-laws and covered 1,079 houses.
In all 13,564 visits were paid to these and 2,462 notices relating to cleansing
and other defects were served, all of which were complied with without the
necessity for further proceedings arising.
Common Lodging House.—Though the licence in the case of these houses is
actually granted or renewed yearly by the London County Council, the grant or
renewal is made subject to the approval of the Borough Council who are provided
with a list of applications received prior to the day fixed for consideration.
The following table contains all the necessary particulars with regard to the
licensed premises of this class in the Borough. On account of the war and the
reduction in the number of lodgers, one or two of the lodging houses were shut
down and will not again be used in this way. Of those still on the list special
reference may be made to "Portman House" in which accommodation is provided
for women only. Houses for women are badly needed, but very difficult to
find; houses so well arranged and conducted as "Portman House" are rare
indeed.

A number of visits were paid to all the houses from time to time by officers of
the department and the attention of the person in charge or the London County
Council directed to any matter calling for remedy.