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100
Considerable progress has been made with the study of potential
areas, the first of which to progress was the Thorne Road General
Improvement Area, comprising largely a Council owned estate. A
public meeting is to be held in February 1971 in connection with
proposals for the area and detailed studies of other areas are
continuing.
Dwellings subject to rent controlled tenancies which meet a
qualifying standard, that is dwellings which possess all the basic
amenities and are in good repair, or dwellings which are improved to
that standard, can be converted to regulated tenancies and the owner
is entitled to increase the rent as assessed by the Rent Officer.
During the year applications were received from owners for
Qualification Certificates. This necessitated detailed inspection
of the houses concerned and placed a heavy burden on the limited
resources of the department. It is pleasing to record the ready
co-operation of landlords in carrying out works of repair on an
informal basis prior to the issue of a certificate. The effects of
this process are that a large amount of repair work has been carried
out to the stock of houses in a sector which for economic reasons has
tended to be neglected and that being in receipt of higher rents,
owners will be able to maintain their property in better condition in
the future.
Moveable Dwellings.
Licences under the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act,
1960 are in force for 36 caravans which are stationed on the Riverhill
Estate.
There are 9 effective orders "under the Surrey County Council Act
in force in the Borough prohibiting the parking of moveable dwellings.
No problems arose during the year in connection with the illegal
stationing of caravans by itinerants but considerable national
publicity was given to the eviction of an animal dealer from private
land.