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46
Reconditioning of Houses. Some houses which have been made
the subject of Closing Orders are later satisfactorily reconditioned and the
Closing Order is revoked. 17 West Street was reconditioned during the
year.
Proposals in regard to the following have been received:— 1 and 2
Spring Villas; 8, 10, 12 Roxeth Hill; 7 Frognal Avenue; 129 High Street,
Edgware, and 82 Stanmore Hill.
Certificates of Disrepair
The following is a summary of the applications received for the issue
of certificates of Disrepair under the Rent Act:
Number of Certificates granted 55
Number of applications not granted 2
Number of Undertakings accepted from owners 24
Number of Certificates cancelled upon application 21
Number of applications for a Certificate as to the remedying
of defects 58
Number of applications by owners for Cancellation of Certificates
not granted 14
Overcrowding
The annual review of the state of overcrowding in the district shows
that once more there is an improvement. As compared with the 55 cases
known on January 1st, 1959, the number on December 31st was 49.
The reduction which has taken place in recent years has become less each
year. The figure of six for this year is a sharp fall of that of 17 in 1958.
The net reduction of six is the difference between the 18 cases in
which overcrowding was abated and the 12 new cases. The corresponding
figures for 1958 were 17, 37 and 23.
In 11 instances the abatement in the overcrowding was brought
about by the families being rehoused in Council houses.
Of the 12 new cases the overcrowding was caused in four by the
increase in the size of the family, or by the ageing of the children and in
three by the marriage of one of the children. Three houses were let so
as to cause overcrowding, while in two the crowding was caused by the
marriage of a child of the tenants.
Of the 49 cases which were overcrowded at the end of the year, 16
were overcrowded by a half unit and 23 by 1 unit. Two families were
living in premises overcrowded by l½ units, six in premises overcrowded
by 2 units, and two in accommodation overcrowded by 2\ units or more.
The greatest hardship is suffered not necessarily by those living in premises
where there is the greatest degree of overcrowding, as indicated by the
difference between the permitted number for the accommodation and the
equivalent number of occupants; it might be felt most by those who have
very limited accommodation which is overcrowded at all. Of two families
each living in one room with a permitted number of 1½, one had an equivalent
number of occupants of 2½, the other 3½. There were six families