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83
It is seen from this Table that the number of houses comingwithin
the meaning of the Housing Act Regulations was estimated
at 17,151and as an average of 5,250 house-to-house inspections
had been made during- the previous five years, it is clear that all
cottage property would on the average be inspected about once in
three years. This has always been the course adopted in £roydon.
and in many instances whole streets are inspected at least twice a
year.

As a result of these inspections, 3,254 preliminary notices were
served during the year, of which 3,211 were complied with.
The numbers in this Table are in addition to 1129 inspections
of houses where infectious diseases had been notified, and 142
inspections on request of larger houses where the drains were
tested and special reports sent to occupiers, prospective occupiers,
or owners.
Full details of the general sanitary work are given in the
Summary in Table VIII.
Eighty-one cases of overcrowding were discovered, mostly in
the poorer neighbourhoods; notices were in all cases served on the
tenants and also on the landlords. In the majority of cases the
overcrowding appeared to be of a temporary character, neighbours
or friends having taken in another family, who were themselves in
difficulties.
House Closure. At the end of the year 1913 there were outstanding
the cases of 23 houses for the closure of which action had
been initiated. Sixteen were satisfactorily put in order and reoccupied.
Closing orders were made in respect of 6; these were
subsequently made fit for human habitation and reoccupied. The
remaining one was voluntarily demolished.