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79
deemed to be a dwelling house so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit
for human habitation, if the room either—
(a) is not on an average at least seven feet in height from floor to ceiling;
or
(b) does not comply with such regulations as the local authority, with the
consent of the Local Government Board, may prescribe for securing
the proper ventilation and lighting of such rooms, and the protection
thereof against dampness, effluvia, or exhalation: Provided that if
the local authority, after being required to do so by the Local Government
Board, fail to make such regulations, or such regulations as the
Board approve, the Board may themselves make them, and the
regulations so made shall have effect as if they had been made by the
local authority with the consent of the Board.
Provided that a Closing Order made in respect of a room to which this subsection
applies shall not prevent the room being used for purposes other than
those of a sleeping place; and that, if the occupier of the room after notice
of an order has been served upon him fails to comply with the order, an order
to comply therewith may, on summary conviction, be made against him.
Now, therefore, we, the Mayor, Aldermen and Councillors of the Metropolitan
Borough of Stepney, being the local authority for the said Metropolitan
Borough, hereby prescribe the following regulations with which a room habitually
used as a sleeping place, the surface of the floor of which is more than three feet
below the surface of the part of the street adjoining or nearest to the room,
shall comply, namely:—
(a) Such room shall in every part thereof have at least three feet of its
height above the surface of the street or ground adjoining or nearest
to the room. Provided that if the width of the area hereinafter mentioned
is not less than the height of the room from the floor to the
said surface, or is not less than six feet, the height of the room above
such surface may be less than three feet, but not in any case less than
one foot.
(b) Every wall of such room shall be constructed with a proper dampproof
course, and, if in contact with the soil, shall be effectually protected
against dampness from that soil by means of a vertical dampproof
course or otherwise.
(c) There shall be outside of, and adjoining such room, and extending
along the entire frontage thereof, and open upwards from six inches
below the level of the floor thereof, an area properly paved and effectually
drained, and at least four feet wide in every part. Provided that
the width of such area may be not less in any part than three feet,
if the mean width of the area be not less than four feet. Provided also