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92
L.C.C. refused to offer accommodation as applicant was not a suitable tenant.
Income, £5 5s. per week.
No. 5.—No. of rooms, 1. Adults: male, 1; female, 1. Children: male, 2;
Cubic space available, 500 cub. ft. Cubic space required, 1,200 cub. ft.
L.C.C. regret being unable to offer accommodation as rent of 17s. per week,
together with travelling expenses, would be too great a strain on their resources.
Income, £3 per week.
The circumstances in the isolated instance referred to above were as follows:—
A family consisting of father, aged 60, bedridden wife, daughter aged 16, and
son aged 13, occupied a small back room on first floor, having a capacity of 500
cubic feet.
Owing to the fact that this room contained a considerable quantity of furniture,
the air space was appreciably less than this figure.
There was no fire place or stove, and only one small broken window, measuring
5 square feet. The ceiling, which was sloping, varied in height from 5 to 8 feet.
The walls and ceiling were dirty and dilapidated, and the floor was broken.
As it appeared to the Committee that the father had not made any serious
attempt to find alternative accommodation or otherwise to comply with the
notice urging him to abate the overcrowding, a summons was issued. An order was
made for compliance within 14 days. Later it became necessary to issue a summons
for non-compliance with this order, and the defendant was fined £5. An application
by the defendant for an extension of time in which to pay this fine'was granted,
and at the expiration of the 14 days allowed, the defendant was committed to
prison.
A period of nearly eight months elapsed between the facts of the case being
reported to the Committee and the imprisonment of the defendant. The overcrowding
was finally abated by the family moving to another part of London.
Fitness of Houses.
In the Ministry of Health Manual on Unfit Houses and Unhealthy Areas,
1919, the following standard of fitness is laid down. A fit house should be:—
1. Free from serious dampness;
2. Satisfactorily lighted and ventilated ;
3. Properly drained and provided with adequate sanitary conveniences
and with a sink and suitable arrangements for disposing of slop water;
4. In good general repair; and should have
5. A satisfactory water supply;
6. Adequate washing accommodation ;
7. Adequate facilities for preparing and cooking food; and
8. A well ventilated store for food.