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31
HOUSING.
GENERAL OBSERVATION ON HOUSING CONDITIONS
IN THE MITCHAM URBAN DISTRICT.
The following facts, taken from the Census, 1931, will give some
idea of the housing conditions in this district.
" Vacant unfurnished houses are at a minimum. There is a
high proportion of families to dwellings, namely, 1.19. The number
of persons per room is 0.87, which is the highest in the County of
Surrey, the county average being 0.72 persons per room. As
measured by the conventional two persons per room,' the overcrowded
element is at its maximum for the County of Surrey in
Mitcham, where 4.99 per cent. of the population falls within this
category, but the proportion has been reduced thereto from the
materially high figure of 8.65 per cent. registered ten years earlier."
Overcrowding is as big a problem in this district as in many
other districts, mainly because of the shortage of houses and flats
which can be rented at a sum within the means of the families
concerned.
The Council housing schemes have helped greatly in reducing
the overcrowding, but more houses and flats are still needed to
accommodate the families living in overcrowded conditions.
Fitness of Houses.—In some cases difficulties are experienced
in keeping houses in a habitable condition under the Public Health
and Housing Acts.
In my opinion much money could be saved by owners if small
defects were repaired as soon as they appeared, instead of waiting
until a large amount of work has to be done in order to render the
house fit.
There is a type of tenant who unnecessarily causes a great deal
of damage to property, and there are not sufficient powers for
dealing with this type of tenant.
A systematic supervision of houses occupied by the working
classes is carried out by means of house to house inspection.
Opportunity is also taken to inspect a, house when an official calls