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36
SECTION D.
HOUSING.
Clearance Areas and Individual Unfit Dwellings.
In the early part of 1960, the Ministry of Housing and Local
Government asked Local Authorities, in view of the progress made
in carrying out their existing slum clearance programmes, to consider
the next phase of this important work.
As far as this Authority is concerned, there remained at the
end of the year a small balance of properties to be dealt with in order
to complete the current five year programme. Further proposals
will be made to the Ministry in 1961 after a final check has been
made. It is not anticipated that there will be many properties
involved and when these have been dealt with, it may be assumed
that the clearance of unfit houses has been completed.
Rent Act, 1957.
This Act came into force on the 6th July, 1957.
The role of the Health Department in the administration of the
Act is confined almost entirely to the consideration of applications
made by tenants of controlled houses for Certificates of Disrepair.
In broad terms, the possession of this Certificate enables a
tenant to resist the rent increase permitted by the Act and the
granting of a Certificate is justified only where the dwelling is in disrepair
by reason of defects which ought reasonably to be remedied
"having due regard to the age, character and locality of the
dwelling."
Only three applications for Certificates were received during
1960, and from a study of the number of applications received since
the passing of the Act (given below) I think it is reasonable to
assume that in the majority of cases, where the permitted increases
in rents have been applied, tenants and landlords have reached
agreement on the question of necessary repairs without recourse to
the Local Authority.
APPLICATIONS RECEIVED
1957 (six months) 1958 1959 1960
59 38 8 3
Housing Statistics for the year 1960.
Total number of valuation assessments, houses and flats,
at 31st December, 1960 24,334
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling houses inspected for
defects (under the Public Health or Housing Acts) 141
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 1,239