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87
The London County Council allocate a very small proportion
of houses under their building scheme to Woolwich
residents.
Houses Let in Lodgings. During 1926 the new bye-laws
for houses let in lodgings received the approval of the Minister
of Health and now apply to the whole of London. The
definition of a house let in lodgings is as follows :—
" A house or part of a house intended or used for
occupation by the working classes and let in lodgings or
occupied by members of more than one family, but shall
not include a house in which the tenant resides on the
premises and in which not more than two persons in
addition to the tenant and his family also reside at any
one time,"
but the Minister of Health only allowed the bye-laws except
in so far as they apply to any lodging-house in which the
tenant resides and not more than one family is lodged. So
far as the Borough is concerned, houses in Eltham are now
subject to these bye-laws, whereas previously they were
exempt because no bye-laws had been made by this Council
controlling them. Under these new bye-laws registration is
abolished.
Action taken under the Housing Act, 1925. Under this
Act the Council have power to secure the closing of underground
rooms illegally occupied as sleeping places ; to make
closing and demolition orders, and to serve notices on the
owners calling on them to render houses fit for human habitation,
and, in default, have power to do the work themselves
and recover the cost from the owners. During the year
under review, four representations were made, three with