View report page

90
may do so. The following extract from a letter received on 26th
January, 1939, illustrates the difficulties experienced:—
"You surely do not require us to notify tenants that they can load
their houses up to this full limit. For instance, we let the upper part of
——• to tenants upon their information that it was to be occupied by 3 adults.
We most certainly do not want to stick into their rent book a notice telling
them that they can take in 8| tenants. The same thing applies to ,
where there are no rent books, but receipts only given. There is a definite
understanding that flats shall only be occupied by 3 people, so that we do
not want now to notify them that they must not exceed 6.
"Are we really under obligation to inform all these tenants of the
maximum number of people they can put into their houses?"
It should be remembered that the Housing Act standard is
very low. There is, for instance, no recognition of the fact that a
living room, according to modern standards, is a necessity where
there is a family. It is certainly deplorable that the Ministry of
Health standards should be forced upon owners of property who,
quite rightly, wish to preserve a far higher standard.
HOUSING STATISTICS
The housing conditions of the Borough are reported upon in
the following form in accordance with the directions of the Ministry
of Health :—
1. Inspection of Dwelling-houses during the Year:—
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling-houses inspected for housing
defects (under Public Health or Housing Acts) 9,619
(b) Nurnber of inspections made for the purpose 35,161
(2) (a) Number of dwelling-houses (included under sub-head
(1) above) which were inspected and recorded
under the Housing Consolidated Regulations, 1925 728
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 1,280
(3) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state so
dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for
human habitation (suitable for Demolition) 1
(4) Number of dwelling-houses (exclusive of those referred
to under the preceding sub-head) found not to be
in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation 4,286
2. Remedy of Defects without Service of Formal Notice:—
Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in
consequence of informal action by the Local
Authority or their officers 2,863