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121
Housing Inspection.
In the past it has been customary to carry out house-to-house inspections in
the Borough under the Public Health (London) Act. Under this system many
minor defects have been dealt with. The drawback to the method, however, is that
there is no record of the condition of the house at the time of inspection, and consequently,
if this house has to come under review at a future date, a reinspection has
to be carried out.
During the early part of the present year a report made to the Public Health
Committee by the Medical Officer of Health was considered, and as a result the
Committee agreed that when suitable arrangements had been made, house-to-house
inspections under the Public Health (London) Act, should be discontinued, and
to substitute for them detailed inspections of houses with the operation of suitable
measures carried out under Section 8 of the Housing Act.
Repair of Defects.
During the year 1934, 1,325 houses were inspected under the scheme of houseto-house
inspection which is mentioned above. As a result of these inspections
4,330 defects were remedied during the year.
The Housing Act, 1930, Section 17, gives local authorities power to compel
owners of dwelling-houses which are not in a reasonable state of repair to carry out
such work as will make the houses fit for human habitation. In the past it has
not been customary to apply this section in Shoreditch. Admittedly the section is
not ideal, but it does give a local authority power to compel the carrying out
of extensive alterations which would be impracticable under the Public Health
Act. In considering the housing problem in an area like Shoreditch it should be
borne in mind that a large part of the property in the area is of such a type or in
such a state of disrepair that demolition is the only remedy. There are, nevertheless
a considerable number of houses which, though not at present ideal as working class
dwellings, are not yet ripe for slum clearance. Such houses tend to be dealt with
lightly where slum clearance is being carried out extensively, and as a result the
existing defects soon become accentuated, and in a comparatively few years the
deterioration has proceeded to such an extent that demolition is the only remedy.
It is generally admitted that in dealing broadly with the housing question, the aim
of the administrator should be, not only to rid the area of its existing slums, but also
to prevent the formation of new slums. This latter object can best be achieved
by the judicious application of Section 17 of the Housing Act, 1930. This question
was also reviewed by the Health Committee early in 1935, and in the next annual
report particulars will be given of the results achieved by application of this section.
Dangerous Structure Notices.
Notices for the repair of dangerous structures are sent to the owners by the
District Surveyor. These notices very often deal with the dangerous nature of