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B. Proceedings under Public Health Acts:—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of
which notices were served requiring defects
to be remedied 127
(2) Number of dwelling-houses in which defects
were remedied after service of formal
notices:—
(a) By owners 113
(b) By Local Authority in default of owners Nil
C. Proceedings under Sections 11 and 13 of the
Housing Act, 1936:—
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of
which Demolition Orders were made Nil
(2) Number of dwelling-houses demolished in
pursuance of Demolition Orders Nil
D. Proceedings under Section 12 of the Housing Act,
1936, and Section 10 of the Local Government
(Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1953 Nil
Overcrowding
No exact information is available as to the degree of
overcrowding in the Borough although there appears to be an
improvement.
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954
This Act, which came into operation on 30th August, 1954,
requires local authorities to submit for the Minister's approval
within a period of 12 months proposals for dealing with the houses
in their area which appear to be unfit for human habitation and
liable for demolition. Approval has been given to the Council's
proposal to deal with 58 properties during the next five years.
Subject to conditions the Act allows the Landlord a limited
increase in the rent of certain houses if the house is in good
repair and is reasonably suitable for occupation. The tenant can
apply to the local authority for a certificate that the house is not
in good repair and/or not reasonably suitable for occupation.
During the first four months of the operation of the Act eight
applications were received from tenants for certificates that the
conditions justifying an increase in rent were not fulfilled. Certificates
were issued in all but one of the cases. Only two of these
certificates have so far been revoked.
It would appear that in the majority of cases the Landlord
has not attempted to increase the rent because of the cost of
satisfying the conditions attached to such increase.