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49
HOUSING
Apart from their responsibilities for securing the abatement of nuisances,
local authorities have specific duties under the Housing Acts with regard to
the repair, closure or demolition of unfit houses. These duties, together
with the action taken during the past year, are set out below: -
HOUSING ACT, 1936
PART II
(Provisions for securing the repair, maintenance
and sanitary condition of houses)
SECTION 4 (Information to be given to tenants) requires the inscription in
rent books of the name and address of the medical officer of health for the
district, and of the landlord or other person responsible for keeping the house
in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation Eight contraventions
were reported, and notices drawing attention to the omissions and warning that
failure to comply with the requirements of the section would result in legal
proceedings were sent to the persons concerned, who then made the necessary
entries,
SECTION 5 (Duty of local authority to inspect their district arid keep records)
This section places upon the local authority the obligation to cause an inspection
of their district to be made from time to time in order to ascertain
whether any house therein is unfit for human habitation, and for that purpose
to comply with such regulations and to keep such records as the Minister may
prescribe^ The Housing Consolidated Regulat ions, 1925 and 1932require the
inspection to be made by the Medical Officer of Health or an officer designated
by the local authority and working under his direction and supervision These
regulations also enumerate the items to which particular attention is to be
directed when carrying out an inspection of a house, the records to be kept and
the statistics relating to such inspections which the Medical Officer of Health
is required to include in his Annual Report,
STANDARD OP FITNESS FOR HUMAN HABITATION By Section 9 of the Housing Repairs
and Rents Act, 4954 it is now enacted that "IN DETERMINING FOR ANY OF THE
PURPOSES OF THE PRINCIPAL ACT WHETHER A HOUSE IS UNFIT FOR HUMAN HABITATION,
REGARD SHALL BE HAD TO ITS CONDITION IN RESPECT OF THE FOLLOWING MATTERS,
THAT IS TO SAY: -
(a) repair:
(b) stability;
(c) freedom from damp:
(d) natural lighting:
(e) ventilation;
(f) water supply,
(g) drainage and sanitary conveniences; and
(h) facilities for storage preparation and cooking of food and for the
disposal of waste water
AND THE HOUSE SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE UNFIT AS AFORESAID IF AND ONLY IF IT IS SO
FAR DEFECTIVE IN ONE OR MORE OF THE SAID MATTERS THAT IT IS NOT REASONABLY
SUITABLE FOR OCCUPATION IN THAT CONDITION,"
SECTION 9 (Power of local authority to require repair of insanitary house),
This Section enacts that where a local authority are satisfied that a house
which is unfit for human habitation is capable of being rendered fit at a
reasonable expense they shall serve upon the person having control of the house
a notice-