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enlarging, repairing or improving houses; (b) make grants for the provision of houses
by the conversion of buildings and for the improvement of dwellings.
The Borough Treasurer, in co-operation with the Borough Valuer, deals with
applications for advances for house purchase and I understand from him that 127
applications were approved and advances were made in 110 cases; the sum advanced
amounted to £265,690. The Public Health Department supplies the Borough Valuer
with any known history of a property which may assist him in his valuation; this
was done in 131 cases.
An owner may seek an advance or grant towards the cost of substantial alterations
which may involve structural work but the power to make such advances or grants is
exercised at the discretion of the local authority.
The House Purchase and Housing Act, 1959, designed to supplement the previous
grant provisions, enables local authorities to make advances for house purchase up to
the full value of the property. It also places a duty on them to make standard grants
towards the cost of the provision of a fixed bath or shower in a bathroom, a wash-hand
basin, a hot water supply, a W.C. and satisfactory facilities for storing food where
these are not provided.
Many families live in accommodation in which amenities and facilities are inadequate
judged by modern-day living standards. Frequently this applies to houses
soundly constructed and in good repair. In 1962, the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government urged local authorities to tackle this problem in a bold way by demonstrating
to owners what could be done by adaptation and the installation of necessary fittings
and amenities, e.g., hot water systems, bathrooms, indoor W.C.
During the year the Council considered this subject in some detail and proposals
were made to define areas in the Borough in which the houses could well be subject
to improvement. An area in North Finchley was selected to be dealt with as a pilot
scheme but action to implement this was deferred pending consideration of the practicability
and desirability of prescribing Redevelopment Areas in the district.
The Borough Engineer and Surveyor approves applications for Discretionary and
Standard Improvement Grants and I understand from him that 49 applications were
received and 47 were granted. Of these, only four were in respect of tenanted houses.
The Rent Act, 1957, has amongst other objectives the aim of enabling landlords,
by means of an increase of rent, to keep houses still the subject of rent control in a
fair state of repair. This is achieved by the tenant having the right to apply to the
local authority for a Certificate of Disrepair. The step precedent to the application
to the local authority is that the tenant must first serve in statutory form a notice upon
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