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Rent Act 1957
14 applications were received from tenants during the year. In one
case the Council refused to issue a Certificate of Disrepair. Undertakings
to do the work were given by the landlords in respect of five properties.
Seven Certificates of Disrepair were issued and two objections by tenants
to the Cancellation of Certificates were received.
As in previous years advice was given to all who sought it and forms
were obtainable from the Civic Centre.
Improvement and Conversion Grants
During the year 10 discretionary grants and 69 standard grants
were approved.
The co-operation which exists between the Town Clerk's and Architect's
Departments and ourselves in administering grants continues to result in a
satisfactory service.
Interest in grants generally is still very active and I feel it is
only the shortage of builders willing to do this work which is really the
governing factor to even greater expansion.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
266 visits were paid to these properties during the year but in this
area it is not a major problem.
It has been found that some houses are overcrowded for a short period
where immigrant families have stayed with 'relatives' before going to a more
permanent address. These houses are kept under observation.
There are no common lodging houses in the Borough.
Tents. Vans and Sheds
As stated in my report last year, vacant sites in the Borough are
decreasing but to the few remaining unfenced sites 152 visits were made.
LAUNDRY SERVICE
It was only possible again this year to operate a once-weekly collection.
At the end of the year the laundry was being dealt with at the Chadwell Heath
Hospital.
When conditions have improved at the hospital laundry it is hoped that
the service may be increased to a twice-weekly collection.
As in the past the staff have been most helpful in making the running
of this service successful.
An average of 36 cases used the service at any one time.
ATMOSPHERIC POLLUTION
Due to the financial crisis the Council again agreed that the remaining
smoke control areas to be dealt with must be deferred.
The position is as last year, which means that 42,594 houses out of a
total of 55,013 in the Borough are now within smoke control areas and the industries
have continued to play their part in the general improvement.
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