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complied with except one particular lot concerning 15 houses.
It was decided action with regard to these houses should be
left in abeyance for special reasons.
It will be seen that the most common defects found
were damp ocr dirty conditions in houses, and when it is
realised that the houses mostly dealt with were built from
30 to 60 years ago, often of absorbent bricks, without sufficient
damp-courses, the ground floors level with or betow
the ground line, it appears almost an endless task to effect
remedy. This suggests that bye-laws should be in force to
provide a stucco or other damp-proof exterior to houses, a
step or two up to the ground floor, and a definite dampoourse
to all walls, including sleeper walls and piers carrying
floors, so that eaves gutters may leak for a while without
saturating the walls and floors.
When inspecting the houses the officer has to bear in
mind the standard of fitness laid down by the Ministry of
Health, and what is a reasonable state of repair, both from
the tenants' and landlords' points of view. He has also to
consider the defined nuisances and powers under the Public
Health Acts. Fortunately, in this district it is usual to
obtain such good results under these Acts that it is unnecessary
to resort to the more drastic powers that exist.
The 503 houses included in the Housing Inspection
comprised the following streets or roads in the various
wards :—
H 'ses.
All or
part.
Street or Road.
Ward.
5'
40
18
38
103
Part
All
Part
All
,,
Homesdale Road
Waldo Road
Cowper Road
Herbert Road
Victoria Road
Bickley.
,,
Bromley Com'n, No. 1.
,,
,,