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88
HOUSES UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.
Representations were made in respect of two dwellings in
the rear of Berlin Road, Catford, known as White House, and
premises known as Nos. 33 and 35, Maddin Road, Lower
Sydenham. After the service of notices the premises were
rendered fit for habitation.
HOUSES LET IN LODGINGS.
The register contains only seventeen such houses which
are situated as follows:- Nos. 5, 16, 23, 25, 31, 43, 45, 47, 51,
53, 55 and 67, Ladywell Park; 1, Ladywell Park Terrace; 42,
Hither Green Lane ; 335, Stanstead Road ; 5, Scrooby Street,
and 47, Molesworth Street.
The occupation of these houses is controlled by bye-laws,
and although they may appear to have a very large number of
persons in each, provided these persons have the minimum
amount of cubic space required by the regulations, the occupation
of such houses is legally permitted.
Owing to the habits of the people who frequent them,
various nuisances are constantly occurring, necessitating almost
constant inspection. Occasionally night visits have been made
to those houses where overcrowding was likely to exist, with the
result that 5 per cent. of the rooms were found to be occupied
by members of more than one family, but in only one case
was the overcrowding of a serious nature. One unsatisfactory
feature, which appears traceable to the night inspections, is the
fact that the more respectable inmates of the houses resent
the intrusion upon their privacy, and in some cases have left
the premises in consequence, their places being filled by more
undesirable tenants.