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After the dwellers from clearance areas and overcrowded houses have moved into the new houses
provided by the Local Authority, the objectives which the Council should have in mind with regard to
this new estate should be to ensure as far as possible:—
(a) That the tenants keep the house clean and free from vermin;
(b) That the house and all the appliances therein are properly and carefully used and that
disrepair is not unnecessarily occasioned by the tenant;
(c) That the house is maintained in good repair by the Council;
(d) That the tenants keep themselves clean and free from all insect pests.
Measures relating to repairs to houses and vermin infested property have been the constant
work of the Health Department for many years but the Department hitherto has had to act within the
limits of the law compelling landlords, compelling tenants or compelling both, with often unsatisfactory
results. The fact that the Council themselves own the houses under consideration enables the sanitary
officer to deal somewhat differently with the conditions which may arise and assess out of his very
considerable experience the responsibility for the good condition of the property as between the landlord
and the tenant. He can keep the tenant informed as to how best the house and its appliances
may be used with the greatest advantage to the tenant and the least need for repair by the landlord.
His duties should be those of a sanitary educator as well as of a statutory officer and he should endeavour
to enlighten the tenant and secure willing co-operation so that both the houses and the family are
maintained in a thoroughly cleanly state under the best possible sanitary conditions.
The repairs which would be required in the property from time to time would be carried out
subject to the authority of the Council either by the Works Department of the Council or by such other
contractor as the Council might determine. For minor repairs it would probably be found economical
to employ a handyman on the estate.
Having regard to the peculiar circumstances of this new Estate of the Council, I am of opinion
that after the houses are built and handed over to the Health Committee in due course, the duties of
the Health Department in relation thereto should include:—
(1) The transfer, including disinfection and disinfestation, of families from clearance areas or
overcrowded houses to the new houses to be erected for the persons displaced.
(2) The maintenance and repair of the new houses to be erected as indicated above.
(3) The supervision of the habits of the tenants now transferred to the new houses with the
object of improving their methods of using their homes and improving their standards
of living.
Collection of Rents.
The rents from these new houses would be collected in the usual way by the Treasurer's Department.
Selection of Tenants.
It may be that a number of tenants displaced from clearance areas or from overcrowded houses
will not desire to avail themselves of the new houses erected by the Council and that other tenants may
have to be selected for such properties. In these circumstances it would be desirable that the present
method of selection by a committee of the Council should continue.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
APPENDIX N.
Submitted to the Joint Meeting of the Housing Act, 1930, and the Housing Repairs and Selection Sub-
Committees on July 24th, 1935.
DISINFESTATION OF VERMINOUS BEDDING AND FURNITURE.
Report by Medical Officer of Health.
T beg to report in accordance with the instructions given by the Joint Meeting of the Housing
Act, 1930, and the Housing Repairs and Selection Sub-Committees on 18th June last.
I have been in communication with the Medical Officer of Health of Kensington and am informed
that subject to agreement between the two authorities he would be prepared to disinfest
furniture by hydro-cyanic acid gas and disinfect bedding by steam as required bv the Willesden
Authority. He informs me that the whole process, beginning with collection and ending with delivery,
will take eight hours. The charge would be per van load—£3 3s. Od. for disinfestation of furniture and
2s. 6d. for disinfection of bedding if required. A van is capable as a general rule of dealing with the
furniture and bedding belonging to two families, but whether two, more or less, are dealt with, the
charge would be per van load as stated above.