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98
Environmental Health

MULTIPLE OCCUPATION
Multiple occupation is a problem which will remain with the department for a very long time
as it is likely to grow. Every effort has been made to control and abate overcrowding by limiting the
number of individuals permitted to reside in houses found in multiple occupation and where appropriate,
extra facilities and means of escape in case of fire are required. Practically the whole of one
Technical Assistant's time is engaged on this problem. The Council's principle method for controlling
multiple occupation is by the service of Direction Orders limiting the number of individuals to 5 in
three and four bedroomed houses.
During the year 26 convictions were obtained in the Magistrates Court for contraventions of
Direction Orders.
A weakness in existing legislation dealing with contraventions of Direction Orders is that no
provision has been made for continuing offences.
Houses in Multiple Occupation
1. Known number of houses in multiple occupation 297
2. Number of houses on which Notices of Intention have been served for
(a) Management Orders (Section 12) —
(b) Directions on overcrowding (Section 19) 89
3. Number of houses on which have been made:
(a) Management Orders —
(b) Directions on overcrowding 78
4. Number of notices served:
(a) to make good neglect of proper standards of management
(Section 14) —
(b) to require additional services or facilities (Section 15) —
(c) where work has been carried out in default —
5. Number of prosecutions in respect of:
(a) Management Orders —
(b) Direction Orders 26
(c) Overcrowding (Section 90, Housing Act, 1957) —
6. Number of control orders made (Housing Act, 1964) —
7. Number of control orders terminated —