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16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR
for the Year 1948.
Town Hall,
Anerley Road, S.E.20.
July, 1949.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge.
Mr. Chairman, Lady and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to place before you the Annual Report of the work of
the Sanitary Inspectors for the year ended 31st December, 1948.
There was again a large number of complaints received regarding defects
and nuisances in houses.
The requirements of the Notices served have again, of necessity, been
restricted to the more serious defects. A great deal of work is still necessary to
bring many houses in the district up to a reasonable standard of fitness.
A large amount of repair work has, however, been done during the year,
as will be seen on reference to the list of work executed.
In many cases delay was occasioned in executing repairs required by
notices owing to the negotiations between the owners of property and the War
Damage Commission regarding War Damage, being prolonged. Owners were
reluctant to put in hand any work until settlement was reached with the Commission.
The cost of building repairs is considerably higher than in 1939 and when
one considers that the standard rents of properties are the same now as in that
year, it is not surprising to find some owners objecting to being called upon to
execute extensive repairs.
There are certain owners, however, who will not carry out their obligations
regarding essential repairs to houses, and I regret to have to report that it was
necessary to institute legal proceedings against them in order to abate nuisances
caused by housing defects.