View report page

4
investigation of complaints, a detailed survey has been made of the
Old Town Area and four areas have been scheduled under Section
I. of the Housing Act as Clearance Areas. A Local Enquiry was
held by the Ministry of Health early in 1932, the result being that
the majority of the properties scheduled were found to be such as
to come under a Clearance Order.
One of the most difficult problems to be dealt with in Croydon
is the practice of subletting. It has quite frequently been found
that overcrowding is caused by the tenant subletting a portion of
the house. At present there appears to be no effective way of
dealing with this practice.
Five thousand one hundred and forty houses were inspected
under the Public Health or Housing Acts and 3,094 were inspected
under the Housing Consolidated Regulations 1925. Both of these
figures ate a substantial increase on last year's showing. 3,381
houses were found not to be in all respects reasonably fit for human
habitation. 1,206 houses were built in the Borough during the
year of which 376 were erected by the Local Authority. Notices
were served on owners to remedy housing defects in 3,381 cases,
and 3,480 houses had been rendered fit by the end of the year.
In a total of 5,140 houses inspected 2.4% were found to be
overcrowded As there is no legal definition of overcrowding the
basis used was that laid down in the local byelaws for Common
Lodging Houses, and Houses Let in Lodgings. New byelaws came
into force during the year, the standard of accommodation being
altered: it is now based on floor area, and not as formerly on cubic
space. The new standard is 40 square feet for persons over 5 years
and 30 square feet for persons under 5 years.
Continued and close supervision has been maintained by the
Sanitary In spectore over Factories, Workshops and Workplaces,
Common Lodging Houses, Houses let in lodgings, and Offensive
Trades. The large amount of building taking place has led to
difficulties inasmuch as houses may be built in proximity to an
established trade, and later when the houses are occupied complaints
arise about the trade. The same also occurs, when in a non Town
planned area, a factory or similar building is erected in the midst
of housing property. The only remedy for this would seem to be
widespread Town-planning and grouping of industries as far as
possible in one area of the town.