Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Heston and Isleworth]
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What action is to be taken concerning unfit houses is governed by the cost of
the necessary works Unless the house 'is capable at reasonable expense of being
rendered fit' action must be in the direction of closing or demolition 'Reasonable
expense' has never been defined and with restrictions on rents and the high cost of
repairs, its interpretation is far from easy, but the Housing Act, 1957 has now defined
the matters to be taken into consideration in assessing fitness for human habitation.
The action taken in insanitary and unfit dwelling houses during the year is
summarised as follows -
1. INSPECTION OP DWELLING-HOUSES DURING THE YEAR:
(1) (a) Total number of dwelling houses inspected for
housing defects (Under Public Health and
Housing Acts) 95
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose . 120
(2) (a) Number of dwelling-houses (included under
head (1) above) which were inspected and
recorded under Housing Regulations, 1925 and 1932 25
(b) Number of inspections made for the purpose 50
(3) (a) Number of dwelling-houses found to be in a state
so dangerous or injurious to health as to be
unfit for human habitation . . . 13
(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 52
2. REMEDY OP DEFECTS DURING THE YEAR WITHOUT SERVICE OP FORMAL NOTICES:
Number of defective dwelling-houses rendered fit in
consequence of informal action by the Local Authority
or their Officers 43
3 ACTION UNDER STATUTORY POWERS DURING THE YEAR"
(a) Proceedings under sections 9, 10 and 12 of the
Housing Act, 1957:
(1) Number of dwelling-houses in respect of which formal
notices were served requiring repairs 3
24
HOUSING
The numbers of new houses erected in the Borough in post-war years is shown
below:-
1946 -58 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Heston and Isleworth B.C. | 1,816 | 12 | 60 | 32 | 70 |
Brentford and Chiswick B.C | 62 | - | - | - | - |
Southall B. C. | 64 | - | - | - | - |
Middlesex County Council | 5 | 1 | 1 | 12 | - |
Ministry of civil Aviation . , | 77 | - | - | - | - |
Metropolitan Police | 29 | - | - | - | - |
Prison Commissioners | 18 | - | - | - | - |
War Department | 34 | - | - | - | |
British Waterways | - | - | 1 | - | |
Private Enterprise - | |||||
(a) new houses | 1,057 | 279 | 140 | 34 | 107 |
(b) reconstructed after war | |||||
destruction | 185 | - | - | - | - |
(c) housing association . | 429 | - | - | - | - |
(d) additional dwellings by | |||||
conversion | 3 | - | - | - | - |
3,745 | 326 | 201 | 79 | 177 |