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backbone of Leyton's existing housing accommodation. Its neglect,
owing to the reasons stated, must be viewed with concern when it is
realised that small items of disrepair, insignificant in themselves,
may be the forerunners of serious dilapidation. The maxim
"a stitch in time saves nine" is very apt when applied to housing
maintenance, where deterioration can be rapid and progressive.
The situation is aggravated by the increased wear and tear due to
the occupation by more than one family of so many houses originally
designed and built to house only one family.
Houses which fall outside the scope of Section 9 qualify
automatically for demolition or closure under Sections 11 and 12
of the Housing Act, 1936. Because of the artificial economic values
indicated above, this action could be applied to a substantial
proportion of occupied controlled houses. It is only too well known
that, owing to the absence of alternative accommodation, it is not
practicable to operate these sections as was intended, even in respect
of houses totally unfit for habitation and dangerous to health by
reason of their bad structural condition—and not merely technically
unfit on economic grounds. Consequently'your Sanitary Inspectors,
in full realisation of the re-housing complications, have been
avoiding any action under the Housing Act likely to lead to
demolition or closing proceedings. At the same time they are
continually being reminded of their statutory responsibilities in the
form of complaints received from members of the public. In order
to secure the abatement of nuisances arising from housing defects
we are obliged to operate the procedure under the Public Health
Act, 1936 in an attempt to maintain house property, irrespective of
type, in a habitable condition.
PROCEDURE UNDER THE PUBLIC HEALTH ACT, 1936
Limited Scope.
The extent to which procedure under the Public Health Act,
1936 can be applied to the repair of dwelling houses is limited to the
enforcement of essential works necessary to abate statutory
nuisances.
Use and Abuse.
Owing to the anomalies referred to above, the Public Health
Act is being used to a far greater extent today than ever before.
In short, we are trying to overcome our difficulties by making this