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houses in Enfield has decreased, to the best of our knowledge, by 202
in two years.
It must be remembered that on January 1st, 1937, over-crowding
became a statutory offence, and by that time it had become compulsory
for every landlord to insert in his rent book or similar document
the number of persons allowed to occupy any particular premises.
At the end of 1937 some 16,000 to 17,000 houses had been
measured in order that landlords might place this information in their
rent books.
The total effect of this is that overcrowding is being lessened
by children marrying and leaving home, by families moving from
overcrowded premises and by the general increase in the number
of houses in the District and new overcrowding only occurs on account
of increase in the size of the family and age of children; property
becoming vacant can not be let so as to cause immediate overcrowding.
The amount of overcrowding in Enfield is therefore falling, and
should ultimately disappear.
The cases that cause the biggest difficulties are those where the
tenants have limited means and a large number of children.
During the course of the year the services of an Inspector were
employed to measure rooms for the purpose of ascertaining the permitted
number of persons in premises in the District, and to make
a general survey to see that all rent books contained the information
which is enforced by the Housing Act, 1936.
Throughout 1937 an attempt was made by means of transfers
to abate overcrowding, and at the end of the year the position was
as follows:—
(a) (i) Number of dwellings overcrowded at the end
of the year 139
(ii) Number of families dwelling therein 139
(iii) Number of persons dwelling therein 1,011
(b) (i) Number of new cases of overcrowding reported
during the year 54
(ii) Number of persons concerned in such cases 293½
(c) (i) Number of cases of overcrowding relieved
during the year 214
(ii) Number of persons concerned in such cases 1,358