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15
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF SANITARY INSPECTOR
for the year 1955
Town Hall,
Anerley Road, S.E.20.
22nd May, 1956.
To the Chairman and Members of the Urban District Council of Penge
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the absence of the Chief Sanitary Inspector on account of illness, I have
the honour to place before you the Annual Report on the work of the Sanitary
Inspectors for the year ended 31st December, 1955.
During the year 761 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.
Applications for certificates of disrepair were received and granted in respect
of 14 premises, and 28 applications for revocation certificates were received
and granted.
In addition to verbal intimation of defects in premises, 479 written informal
notices and 86 statutory notices were served under the Public Health Act, 1936.
438 intimation notices and 81 statutory notices were complied with.
The Local Authority, in default of the owners, had carried out works
required by four statutory notices under section 94, Public Health Act 1936,
and two notices served under section 75.
The Council also did the work required by 9 notices served under Section 24,
Public Health Act, 1936, respecting defective public sewers (previously known as
combined drains) at 8 premises.
The amount of repair work done following action taken by your 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 twenty-six premises, however, repairs were not
executed until legal proceedings against the owners or agents were either
threatened or taken.
The present cost of carrying out repairs, particularly in older properties,
subject to controlled rents, is frequently the reason of the department being
required to take action by the tenants, whereas previously in many cases the
repairs would be undertaken by the landlord without the occupier needing to
seek the assistance of the department.