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16
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR
for the year 1953.
Town Hall,
Anerley Road, S.E.20.
June, 1954.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to place before you my twenty-sixth Annual Report on
the work of the Sanitary Inspectors for the year ended 31st December, 1953.
During the year 812 complaints (excluding those in connection with rodent
infestation) were received, the great majority being concerned with housing
defects and nuisances. All complaints were investigated and appropriate action
taken when found necessary.
It appears to be the practice of some owners of property to ignore the
requests of their tenants to have repairs carried out and to await the receipt of
notices from the local authority before attempting to do essential work. This
is a mistaken policy and one which usually results in extra expenditure. There
is no doubt that the very high cost of repair work, coupled with the fact that the
standard rents of houses have remained static since 1939, has a bearing upon this
matter.
In addition to verbal intimation of defects in premises, 513 written
informal notices and 74 statutory notices were served under the Public Health and
Housing Acts, 1936. 439 intimation notices and 70 statutory notices were complied
with.
The Local Authority, in default of the owners, had carried out the works
required by one statutory notice served under Section 94, Public Health Act,
1936, one notice served under Section 75, and one notice served under Section
39; also one notice served under Section 9, Housing Act, 1936.
The Council also did the work required by 10 notices served under
Section 24, Public Health Act, 1936, respecting defective public sewers (previously
known as combined drains) at 16 premises.
The amount of repair work done following action taken byyour Inspectors
will be seen on reference to the summary of work executed.
Every endeavour is made informally to have notices complied with before
statutory action is taken.
In thirty-two premises repairs were not executed until legal proceedings
against the owners or agents were either threatened or taken.