London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Acton 1936
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Acton]
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The following table gives the incidence of overcrowding in controlled and decontrolled lettings, and the number of cases of overcrowding abated.
| Controlled. | Decontrolled. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number. | Abated. | Number. | Abated. | |
| 1 room lettings | 15 | 2 | 24 | 14 |
| 2 „ ,, | 62 | 6 | 70 | 26 |
| 3 „ ,, | 109 | 8 | 77 | 26 |
| 4„ ,, | 26 | 2 | 34 | 4 |
| 5„ ,, | 4 | — | 7 | 1 |
| 6 „ ,, | 1 | — | 1 | — |
| 217 | 18 | 213 | 71 | |
Most of the four-roomed tenements which were overcrowded
were Council houses, and this possibly accounts for the few instances
where the overcrowding was abated; in most of the instances
where overcrowding had been abated in decontrolled houses,
this had been brought about through the removal of the tenant,
either to another district or to some other house in the district.
Moreover, the rents of the Council houses approximate more closely
to those of controlled rather than decontrolled houses, though the
average rent of controlled houses is lower than that of Council
houses for similar accommodation, that is, so far as size and number
of rooms are concerned. In a Council house there are amenities
which are not enjoyed in most of the controlled houses. It was not
possible to obtain exact information in all cases, but the following
shows approximately the average weekly rent paid for the different
kinds of lettings.
Controlled. Decontrolled.
s. d. s. d.
1 room lettings 4 4 9 0
2 „ 8 9 13 6
3 , „ „ 10 9 15 6
4 „ „ 12 6 21 3 (exclusive of
Council houses)
The presence of lodgers and the practice of sub-letting were
not important factors in overcrowding. In 6 instances the overcrowding
was due to the presence of lodgers, and in 7 instances the