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housing defects are seldom received; on the other hand, there are others
in the Kenton, Edgware and Harrow Weald areas that provide a steady
flow of letters complaining of either dampness, decayed woodwork or
general housing defects.
Poor initial construction is the cause of the conditions that give
rise to the majority of the defects found, plus the heavy use to which
many of the properties on the estates concerned are subjected. To
avoid misunderstanding the words "poor initial construction" need
to be amplified and in the first instance it must be remembered that
the average price of these dwellings was between £575 and £850, inclusive
of road and other charges. Further, they were built in the days when
competition was keen and to sell, attractive fitments were essential.
In consequence the structures themselves suffered, the material used in
quantity and quality being no more than the minimum required by the
Building Bye-Laws.
As regards the effect of occupation it is of interest to note that on
one of the estates concerned and probably from the angle of construction
it is the poorest of all, the majority of the dwellings are owner occupiedmaintenance
and careful use is in consequence of quite a high order,
and taking the estate as a whole the adverse conditions existing are not
to be compared with those on the Glebe Estate. Here the majority
of the dwellings are held by non-resident owners who spend as little as
possible on maintenance and repair work. Additionally, quite a number
of the properties are let to two families which again increases the wear and
tear to which the dwellings involved are subjected.
That those who developed the Glebe and such-like estates should
have elected to provide dwellings of the cheap type is to be regretted, but
the fact remains they exist, and there is no doubt that for years to come
the service of notices calling for extensive repair work will be necessary.
Overcrowding.
During the year it was necessary to add to the register of persons
occupying overcrowded accommodation details of 486 families, thus
bringing the total number known to be living under crowded conditions
in Harrow on the 31st December, 1946, to 496. It is of interest to note
that on the 31st December, 1939, the register reveals that there were
only five families who were living under conditions where statutory
overcrowding existed.
The term "overcrowding" is in frequent use to-day and is often
used by individuals who have little or no idea of what it means when
used in relation to the Housing Acts. They are amazed when told that
the dwelling with two bedrooms and a box-room on the first floor and
two living rooms and kitchenette on the ground has a permitted number
of either 7½ or 8½ units, or, in other words, that it can be occupied by
7 adults and 1 child under 10 years of age, or 4 adults and 7 children
under 10 years, without the residence being statutorily overcrowded.
The majority of cases of overcrowding, however, occur not where
one family is occupying a whole house but where families are occupying
rooms. In these cases for the purpose of determining the permitted