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Houses in Multiple Occupation
The Local Authority is empowered by the Housing Acts 1957 and 1961 to
serve a notice on a person having control of a house in multiple occupation where,
in its opinion, the house is defective with respect to natural and artificial lighting,
ventilation, water supply, personal washing facilities, drainage and sanitary conveniences,
facilities for the storage, preparation and cooking of food and for the
disposal of waste water, etc.; the provision of proper means of escape from fire
may be required where necessary.
The number of persons who may occupy a house may be stipulated.
A notice may be withdrawn if the number of occupants is reduced to a point
where the existing facilities are adequate.
The Council have adopted standards of overcrowding and amenities in
dwelling-houses to be observed in the Borough.
Although an appreciable number of dwelling houses in the Borough are
occupied by two or more families, the number of over-occupied properties is small.
Many of the properties occupied by several families are believed to lack the full
Standard of Amenities adopted by the Council but, due to staff shortages, it has
not been possible to make house-to-house inspections to enforce uniform standards.
Following complaints to the Health Department from tenants, action was taken
to enforce the standards in 35 properties involving 113 families.
Part IV of the Housing Act, 1964, gave considerable additional powers to
local authorities, including the making of Management Orders where the Council
is satisfied that proper standards of management are not being observed. No action
under this Act was required.
Slum Clearance and Individual Unfit Houses
Nineteen clearance areas comprising 327 dwelling houses were reported to the
Council as unfit for human habitation These areas formed part of larger areas of
proposed redevelopment and were dealt with by Compulsory Purchase Orders.
One order comprising 171 properties represented as unfit before 1966 was
confirmed by the Minister of Housing and Local Government.
The number of dwelling-houses in confirmed Compulsory Purchase Orders
demolished was 121.
A five-year programme for the clearance of 1,188 properties during the period
1966 to 1970 was approved by the Council and forwarded to the Ministry.
Closing orders were made on the basement rooms of three properties and a
closing order on one dwelling-house was determined.
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