London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

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Tottenham 1960

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Tottenham]

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25
(2) where the house was in reasonable condition, they were no longer prepared to tolerate
certain minore defects and pay an increased rent.
As an example of this latter attitude, many tenants wanted outside painting done purely on
the grounds that it had not been done for many years.
If these assumptions are correct, the reduction in present day applications may be accounted
for either because having paid the new rents over a long period tenants have accepted them and
have once again become accustomed to living with and putting up with those minor defects as
part of the state of things. The other reason, and possibly the more likely one, many tenants
are under the impression that applications for certificates of disrepair could only be made when
the rent increase was imposed originally.
It is still open to tenants living in rent controlled premises to make an application, at any
time, if the disrepair of the dwelling makes it justifiable.
Rent Act, 19 57
Part I - Applications for Certificates of Disrepair
(1) Number of applications for certificates 65
(2) Number of decisions not to issue certificates 3
(3) Number of decisions to issue certificates
(a) in respect of some but not all defects 34
(b) in respect of all defects 28
(4) Number of undertakings given by landlords under paragraph 5 of the First Schedule 29
(5) Number of undertakings refused by Local Authority under paragraph 5 of the
First Schedule 4
(6) Number of Certificates issued 37
Part II - Applications for Cancellation of Certificates
(7) Applications by Landlords to Local Authority for cancellation of certificates 24
(8) Objections by tenants to cancellation of certificates 5
(9) Decisions by Local Authority to cancel in spite of tenant's objection 1
(10) Certificates cancelled by Local Authority 20
HOUSING
The pattern of activity under the provisions of the Housing Acts has undergone little change
in the post war years.
Individual unfit houses have been dealt with by means of the repair, closing, or demolition
sections of the Housing Act, 1957. The group of unfit houses has been dealt with more generally,