View report page

29
Although general guidance on unfitness is given in Section 9
Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954, precise standards still remain a
matter for individual discretion, doubtless aided as time goes on by
case law. It is clear that many older houses lack such amenities as
bathrooms, baths, indoor sanitation and constant hot water supply,
and whilst ideally these failings should not be permitted, realistically
there is no legal power to insist on their being remedied. Our national
housing standards have some way to go before the gap between the
modern and the old is bridged, and even in a district of predominantly
modern development such as exists in Hornchurch the contrast is readily
apparent.

Children (under 15) were present in ten instances.

(1 owner/occupier and 1 " tied " cottage excluded.)
Class 2
Number of Houses involved 52
Comments on result of survey.
Under 150 dwellings seem to require either demolition or serious
consideration for demolition within five years.
The average number of occupants of Class 1 houses was very
small.
The average occupier of a Class 1 house had no expressed desire to
move but even expressed a desire not to move (this was probably
governed by long residence, low rent and a fear of being uprooted to a
strange environment at an advanced age).
The number of children and young couples in the Class 1 houses
was relatively and absolutely small.
The variation in housing standards in even one road was very
marked and certain houses externally poor might internally be found
good with the converse applying elsewhere.
Back-to-back houses are confined to one block in the central area
of the district.