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(1) Large several storied Victorian houses, often standing in their own grounds.
Such properties are capable of providing satisfactory accommodation for
several families providing the necessary adaptation is carried out. The
Council in these circumstances therefore use the legislation that requires
such increased amenities to be provided, i.e. Section 15.
(2) Small terraced or semi-detached houses, built usually after the turn of the
century. These commonly have two rooms and a kitchen on the ground floor,
and 3 bedrooms and sometimes a bathroom on the first floor. Many of these
have one W.C. only on the ground floor, but some do have an additional
W.C. on the first floor level. No amount of increased amenities can make
such property satisfactory for multiple occupation, and it is therefore not
the Council's policy to require the provision of improvements. To do so
would be, in effect, to sanction unsatisfactory multiple occupation. In this
type of property, therefore, the Council's policy is to make Directions under
Section 19, with the object of reducing the number of occupants.
In addition on any type of property the Council use Section 90 of the Housing
Act, 1957 (Abatement of Overcrowding) and Section 16 of the Housing Act, 1961,
(Improvement of means of escape from fire).
The Council has not made any Control or Management Orders, the procedure laid
down being extremely involved. There is, however, one Management Order which was
made by the former Municipal Borough of Ealing which is still in force. Nor has the
Council submitted a scheme for registration of houses in multiple occupation. It has
felt that whereas licensing prior to use might be of value, powers which merely
provided for registration once such misuse had begun, would not be helpful in dealing
with the problem.
General Legal Position
The existing powers for dealing with houses in multiple occupation are unsatisfactory
and inadequate in certain respects, the main deficiencies being as follows:-
(1) The fines imposed by the local Magistrates Court when cases for contraventions
of Directions are heard are normally small and it is suspected that
they are regarded by some owners as being part of their overhead expenses
in letting their houses to an excessive number of individuals. Once the
Council has prosecuted for a contravention no further action can be taken
so long as the same individuals remain in the house. If there were to be a
daily penalty for a continuing offence this would act as a strong deterrent
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