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be dealt with as unfit houses. It was felt that this decision had regard to the
fact that because of the international situation, all houses which could be
should be retained. Complaints from the occupants started to come in
immediately after the enquiry, and at intervals the owners of the various
houses decided they could not continue to maintain them. In addition,
some were destroyed by enemy action. After the war, some groups of
houses were made the subject of Demolition Orders, while others have
been cleared by the Council by agreement. Where groups have been
closed, it has been possible to demolish them. The position at the end
of last year was this:—
Shelley Road—even numbers all demolished. Of the odd numbers,
one has been demolished. Numbers 3, 13, 15, 17, 19, 23, 25, 27, 29,31
and 33 are the subject of Closing Orders. Of these 8 are vacant.
Of the remainder, five have been purchased by the Council, leaving
one property on which action has to be taken; of these six houses, one
is vacant.
Milton Road—of the odd numbers, all except Nos. 17 and 19 have
been demolished. Of the even numbers, 32, 34, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48
and 58 are the subject of demolition or closing orders; of these nine are
vacant. Ten of the remaining 25 were reconditioned some years ago and
have since been well maintained. There are 15 on which action has yet
to be taken.
Wordsworth Road—There are 19 dwellings in this road. Of these,
No. 12 is the subject of a Closing Order; eight were reconditioned some
years ago and three have been reconditioned during recent years. It is
possible all the seven outstanding will be found to be capable of repair.
Burns Road—Eleven properties originally stood in this road. Five
(Nos. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) were demolished some years ago, and the
remaining six have been reconditioned.
Marlborough Road—Nine dwelling houses and nine shops in this
road were included in the compulsory purchase orders associated with the
1939 Inquiry. Of these, eight dwellings have been demolished and the
ninth has been reconditioned. No action has been taken over the nine
shops, some of which have been improved and reconditioned by the
owners.
Marlborough Hill—Eight properties in this road were included in
the 1939 Inquiry. Four of these, 6, 16, 18 and 20, have been demolished,
and there are four on which action remains to be taken.
Certificates of Disrepair
When the landlord proposes to increase the rent under the Rent
Act he gives three months' notice. If the house needs repair, the tenan
can prevent a rent increase. "The standard of repair is to be such as
will secure the remedying of defects which ought reasonably to be remedied
having due regard to the age, character and locality of the dwelling"
The first step is for the tenant to serve on the owner on a form G a
notice of defects. The owner can then give the tenant an undertaking
to do the work in three months. If he fails to give the undertaking,
the tenant can apply to the local authority for a certificate of disrepair.
Before issuing the certificate, the authority first gives the owner three.