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Housing.
Finchley is a rapidly-developing good-class residential district
on the outskirts of London, and the housing question,
in so far as the structure of the old houses is concerned, is
not such a serious one as it is in many parts of the country.
For years past careful and systematic house-to-house inspections
have been conducted practically upon the lines now
laid down by the regulations made under the Housing, Town
Planning, etc., Act, 1909. Persistent efforts have always
been made to compel owners to carry out any alterations or
repairs which appeared to be necessary. The result is that
although we have a fair amount of old cottage property, the
houses are generally found reasonably fit for occupation, and
it is uncommon to find one so dilapidated as to justify any
drastic action under Section 17 of the Act. Very little use could
be made of the powers conferred by Section 15 of the 1909 Act,
and the provisions of the Public Health Acts are resorted to when
it becomes necessary toenforce the remedy of any defect, discovered
in the routine inspections. The report of the Sanitary Inspector
sets out in detail what has been done in this respect.