View report page

I
RENT ACT, 1957 (Cont.)
Dealing with applications by tenants and landlords has
brought its problems, but despite the complications involved, it
can be 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. The drop in the
number of applications is very significant.
HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION.
The Minister of Housing and Local Government made regulations
under Part II of the Housing Act, 1961, which came into operation
on 22nd May, 1962, to deal with squalid living conditions in
houses in multiple occupation.
Until 1954 bye-laws existed which could be applied to such
premises, but these were then repealed and replaced by a general
power which proved to be an unsatisfactory substitute.
The new provisions are far-reaching and should considerably
strengthen the hands of local authorities in dealing with
properties of this type for which, despite lack of essential
amenities, there seems to be an ever-increasing demand by people
whose circumstances compel them to seek accommodation in rooms in
houses let to a number of individuals or families.
There has already been criticism of the short-comings of
the new legislation, but our necessarily limited experience in
administering it suggests that it will prove of great value in
a district such as ours.
COMMON LODGING-HOUSES
A Common Lodging-House is defined as "a house (other than
a public assistance institution) provided for the purpose of
accommodating by night poor persons, not being members of the
same family, who resort thereto and are allowed to occupy one
common room for the purpose of sleeping or eating, and includes,
where part only of a house is so used, the part so used".
There are no such premises in this Borough.
UNDERGROUND ROOMS.
After much careful thought and correspondence with the
Ministry the Council decided to adopt the amended version of
the new model regulations recommended by the Ministry of
Housing and Local Government. They became operative on 3rd
January 1963, on which date the previous regulations were
repealed.
NEW BUILDING REGULATIONS.
By section 4 of the Public Health Act, 1961, the Ministry
of Housing and Local Government is empowered to make building
regulations which would in due course supersede existing local
building byelaws.
The Council decided to draw the attention of the Minister
to the problems arising in connection with modern dwelling units
which had no solid fuel burning fireplaces or boilers and
consequently no means for the burning of materials requiring
such disposal, and suggested the incorporation of a suitable
Provision in the new regulations requiring the installation of
small domestic incinerators in such premises.
32.