View report page

Improvement Grants
The number of applications received is disappointing and most of these are from owneroccupiers.
It appears that landlords of tenanted houses are not finding this scheme attractive enough
even though 12½% of the landlord's proportion of the cost of providing improvements can be added
to the rent of the improved dwelling. It is also true to say that a surprisingly high proportion of
tenants do not wish to have improvements carried out.
The degree of compulsion that has been introduced in the Housing Act 1964, giving Local
Authorities power to require the provision of standard amenities in tenanted dwelling houses where
the tenant is willing to pay the increased rent, appears to be the only solution to providing older type
dwellings with facilities which are today taken for granted by most people as absolutely necessary
for decent living conditions.
Improvement—Grays Cottages, Harefield
Following the construction of a sewer to the curtilage of these six cottages instead of operating
Section 47 of the Public Health Act 1936 requiring the provision of W.C.'s in substitution for the
existing earth-closets, the owner was persuaded to take advantage of Improvement Grants to provide
full standard amenities in the cottages, and work is in progress on these properties.
IMPROVEMENT GRANTS
(1) Standard Grants
1. Number of applications received
„ „ „ approved
„ „ „ refused
2. Number of dwellings improved
3. Amount paid in grants
4. Average grant per house
5. Amenities provided:—
(a) fixed bath 67
(b) shower —
(c) wash hand basin 73
(d) hot water supply (to any fittings) 73
(e) water closet
(1) within dwelling 53
(2) accessible from dwelling —
(f) food store 46
Owner / Occupier Tenanted
45 20
36 19
9 1
51 64
£ s. d.
9,338 10 1
81 4 1
(2) Discretionary Grants
1. Number of applications received
2. Number of applications approved
3. Number of applications refused
4. Number of dwellings improved
Owner/Occupier Tenanted
1 1
1 —
— 1
59