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Sections 9 and 10, Housing Act, 1936.
The department continues to make use of these important
sections of the Housing Act in their efforts to secure improved
housing conditions. In spite of the relaxation in the restriction on
building licensing, there is no great reduction in the extent of the
work carried out in owners' default.
Discretion must, however, be applied in deciding the areas of
the Borough in which to apply the provisions of the Housing Act.
The question of what is ' 'reasonable cost'' becomes more
difficult to resolve—building costs have increased tremendously
whilst rents remain static. One cannot help but express sympathy
with certain property owners, particularly those owners of the type
who have one or two houses.
One aspect of action under the provisions of these sections of
the Act which deserves consideration is the financial one.
As the local authority often allow the payments for work carried
out in the owners' default to be spread over a period, the result is
that the Council have a considerable sum of money tied up in the
properties.
Housing Act, 1936: Section 9—Legal Proceedings.
There was one appeal to the County Court against the cost of
work executed by the Council in default under section 9 of the Housing
Act, 1936. The Court reduced the charge from £58 14s. 8d. to
£46 16s. 9d.
During 1948 the Council decided to institute proceedings to
obtain Receivership Orders in respect of two premises where work
had been executed by the Council in the owners' default and it had
not been possible to obtain payment for such work.
Housing Act, 1936: Section 11—Demolition Orders.
I must again reiterate my warning of previous years, that,
whilst the department is reluctant to exercise the powers under
this Section, rapidly changing conditions make it unavoidable.
In many cases we are faced with the problem that no minimum
specification is possible in order that action can be taken under the
Public Health Act, 1936. Any major specification, on the other