London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Surbiton 1961
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Surbiton]
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RENT ACT, 1957.
This Act, together with its accompanying Regulations has been
in operation since 6th July, 1957.
The Council has delegated to the Public Health Committee its
powers relating to Certificates of Disrepair, and this materially
helps in dealing "with applications in an expeditious manner which is
so important in common fairness to the parties concerned.
The position up to the end of the year is shown in the following summary:-
| 6th july to 31st Dec. 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (1) No. of applications for Certificates of Disrepair (Form I) | 61 | 56 | 25 | 5 | 9 |
| (2) No. of decisions not to issue Certificates | 3 | 1 | 1 | Nil | 1 |
| (3) No. of decisions to issue Certificates - | |||||
| (a) in respect of some hut not all defects listed hy tenants | 40 | 36 | 16 | 5 | 4 |
| (b) in respect of all defects listed | 12 | 13 | 8 | Nil | 3 |
| (4) No. of undertakings to remedy defects given by landlords under paragraph 5 of the First Schedule (Form K) | 27 | 34 | 19 | 4 | 4 |
| (5) No.of such undertakings refused by Council | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| (6) No. of notices of proposal to issue a Certificate of Disrepair-served (Form J.) | 52 | 57 | 25 | 5 | 7 |
| (7) No. of Certificates of Disrepair issued (Form L) | 10 | 32 | 5 | 1 | Nil |
| (8) No. of applications by tenants under consideration at the end of the year ( Form I) | 6 | 1 | Nil | Nil | 1 |
| (9) Applications "by landlords to Local Authority for cancellation of Certificates (Form M) | Nil | 16 | 9 | 3 | 2 |
| (10) Objections hy tenants to cancellation of Certificates | Nil | 9 | 1 | 3 | Nil |
| (11) Decisions hy Local Authority to cancel in spite of tenants' objections. | Nil | 2 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| (12) Certificates cancelled by Local Authority | Nil | 1 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| (13) Refusals to cancol Certificates of Disrepair | Nil | 2 | Nil | 1 | _____1 _ |
| (14) Certificates as to remedying of defects specified in landlord's under taking (Form P) | Nil | 19 | 19 | 7 | 6 |
Dealing with applications "by tenants and landlords has brought
its problems, but despite the complications involved, it can he said
that there have been no serious troubles and, so far no appeals in
Which the Council has "been concerned.
There can be no doubt that a great deal of repair and
redecoration of houses has taken place as a result of the Act - much
of it without recourse to the Council.
33.