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147
of the Act. So far, however, it has not been necessary to
initiate any proceedings under the above-mentioned Sections.
All the houses let at the specified rent, independent of the
existence of any implied contract between landlord and tenant,
have been thoroughly inspected from time to time, and the
simple procedure of communicating with the owners by letter,
or in a few instances the serving of statutory notices under
the Public Health Act, 1875, has proved quite sufficient to
secure the prompt remedy of all sanitary defects discovered.
During the year 1913, a largo proportion of th> houses
selected for inspection under the house-to-house system were
of a higher rental value than usual and of the 443 houses
inspected only 21, or 4.74 per cent., wore let at a rent not
exceeding £16 per annum.
Prevalence and Evils of Sub-Letting in
Dwelling Houses.
For many years past the smallest type of dwelling-house
erected in Finchley by private enterprise has a rental value
which is far beyond the means of the average working man.
As a consequence of this, and the considerable influx of workpeople
due to the development of the district, there is unquestionably
a considerable shortage of housing accommodation
to meet the demands of the artisan class The existing
small houses, many of which are old and unsatisfactory, are
never vacant, and, if the tenant is likely to leave, there is
invariably keen competition amongst a number of applicants
for the privilege of taking over the tenancy long before the
out-going occupant gives up possession. The Council has
already taken steps to remedy this evil by the introduction of
an excellent housing scheme, which, when fully developed,
provides for the erection of 300 dwellings. Detailed particulars
of this scheme will be found on pages 76 & 77 of the report
cf the Medical Officer of Health.
One of the results of the inadequacy of the existing
housing accommodation to which I desire to especially refer