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nature.
Underground rooms
It appears that there are probably in excess of
200 houses within the borough having inhabited
rooms which fall within the definition of under
ground rooms Many of these are in houses
which are let in multiple occupation and it was
considered that these should be dealt with as
the houses in multiple occupation programme
proceeds.
Qualification certificates
It is in this field that most housing work has
has been carried out during the year. This
action was initided under the Housing Act,
1969 and allows the landlord of rented property
to convert controlled tenancies to regulated
tenancies with a subsequent rent reassessment
provided the property is fit for human habitation
in all respects and has all the basic standard
amenities.
The procedure falls within one of two
categories -
a) Provisional qualification certificates those
where some or all of the standard amenities
are lacking.
b) Qualification certificates - those which have
all the necessary amenities.
Each house which is the subject of an
application has to be inspected and where items
of disrepair are noted an informal letter is sent
advising the applicant of the defects in order
thd thev may be rectified.
It can be seen that this work involves several
visits to the properties concerned with additional
meetings with owners and builders.
During the year the following statistics were
recorded
Certificates of provisional approval
Applications received 79
Applications granted 62
Applications refused 3
Applications withdrawn 2
involving a total of 115 visits by the public
health inspectors.
Qualification certificates
Applications received 516
Applications granted 113
Applications refused 205
involving a total of 998 visits by the
public health inspectors.
The health committee considered that a
boiler provided behind an open fire could not
be regarded as a satisfactory means of
providing constant hot water during the summer
months. Where this is the sole means of heating
water the applications have been rejected on
the grounds that all the standard amenities were
not provided. Three notices of appeal against
this decision were given but subsequently with
drawn
Moveable dwellings
There are seven site licences under the Caravan
Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 which
relates to 9 caravans stationed within the borough
The council is required to provide a site for
a minimum of 15 caravans to be stationed within
the borough The selection of the ideal site has
proved difficult but, in order to assist the caravan
dwellers action has been withheld against vans
being stationed on land in Church Road, Cranford,
It was hoped that this could be a temporary site
with the minimal facilities of a water supplv, a
sewer connection and refuse disposal points.
This to continue until a permanent site could
be found and suitably developed. This matter
is still under consideration.
However action has been taken against all
other vans unlawfully stdioned within the
borough. 155 such cases were dealt with and
the whole work under this heading necessitated
507 visits.
Improvement of dwellings
Following applications to the council for
improvement grants the public health inspectors
inspect each dwelling,, During the year 140
such applications were received and in each
case a report was given on the condition of
the property and its estimated life.
99