View report page

41
HOUSING
The greater part of the work required in dealing with "unfit" houses was carried out
by owners after service of informal notices, but in some instances it was necessary to
serve statutory notices and to carry out work in owners' default in a small minority of
these
The Housing Act, 1961, gave powers to local authorities to require additional
facilities in houses in multiple occupation and in order to implement these provisions and
to abate and control overcrowding, detailed inspections were immediately made by a
preliminary survey of such premises.
In many cases several visits had to be made before full particulars became available,
because although notice was given prior to the Inspector's visit it was seldom found that
all tenants had made arrangements for him to have access to their rooms. Only rarely
was it possible for Inspectors to be able to obtain all essential information on their
initial inspection, and in some cases evening visits were necessary.
This work has become a routine duty: the movement of tenants and changing
conditions require that a constant check be kept on all houses in multiple occupation .
Overcrowding
Cases of overcrowding have arisen from time to time, particularly in houses let off
to several tenants. Informal action was taken in most instances but in one case where
the landlord had let a house in three parts and in each case so as to cause statutory overcrowding,
legal proceedings were taken under section 78 of the Housing Act, 1957. The
landlord was fined a total of £15 and ordered to pay £5.5 0 costs to the Corporation.
Clearance Areas and Individual Unfit Houses
During the year representation was made of the area comprising the houses in Willow
Walk and Milton Road 72 houses in all.
In October, 1962, the Minister confirmed the Council's Whitehall Street/Stanley
Grove and Church Road/Kings Road Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 Clearance Orders The
redevelopment of these areas will form the second phase of the White Hart Lane Scheme.
Four unfit houses were dealt with by individual closing and demolition orders' in
one case a closing order was made in respect of one room in a house. 31 houses were
repaired following the service of notices under Section 9. Work was carried out in owners
default in 5 houses at a cost of £756.10.6 which was recoverable from the owners.