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33
The London County Council refer to Borough Medical Officers of Health
applications for rehousing received from persons who appear to be living in
overcrowded conditions, for the submission, in appropriate cases, of a certificate
of overcrowding. Of a total of 222 such applications referred to the
department overcrowding was found to exist in 129 instances. In a further
260 instances the London County Council notified cases in which the applicants
alleged that their accommodation was in an insanitary condition. All the
premises were inspected and appropriate action taken to secure the remedy of
any defects found.
Families to the number of 1,531 were rehoused, 873 by the Borough Council,
and 658 by the London County Council. Thirty-two of the families rehoused by
the Borough Council were recommended by this Department on grounds of overcrowding
and one on health grounds: with regard to the families rehoused by
the London County Council the corresponding figures are 68 and 6 respectively.
HOUSING ACT, 1949
This Act, which came into operation on the 30th July, 1949, inter alia
removed the references to the working classes from certain provisions of the
Housing Act, 1936, and enables action to be taken under Section 9 (repair),
Section 11 (demolition) and Section 12 (closing) in respect of all houses. It
also empowers the local authority to provide housing accommodation for persons
of all classes.
Under Section 4 of the Act, a local authority is enabled to make advances
to any persons for the purpose of:-
(a) acquiring houses;
(b) constructing houses;
(c) converting into houses buildings which have been acquired by those
persons or acquiring buildings and converting them into houses; or
(d) altering, enlarging, repairing or improving houses; whether the
houses or buildings are within or without the district of the
authority or council.
Subject to certain conditions, a local authority may under Section 20 of
the Act give assistance in respect of:-
(a) the provision of dwellings, by a person other than a local authority
or county council, by means of the conversion of houses or other
buildings;
(b) the improvement of dwellings by such a person
by way of making a grant.
In twelve instances the Council made advances under Section 4(1) (a) of
the Act.
RENT AND MORTGAGE INTEREST RESTRICTIONS ACTS, 1920 TO 1929
On the application of occupiers 19 certificates of disrepair were issued.
In six cases certificates previously issued were revoked as the necessary work
had been carried out.
DEFENCE REGULATION 68CA
(Use of residential accommodation for business purposes)
Sixteen applications to use residential accommodation for business purposes
were considered by the Council, but only three were granted. Six of
the eight appeals made to the Minister of Housing and Local Government were
upheld.