114. Appeals to Minister. 115. Local inquiries. 116. Power of Minister to obtain a report on any crowded area. 117. Arrangements between the Minister and other Departments. Notices, Orders, &c. 118. Service of notices, &c., on the local authorities. 121. Power to prescribe forms and to dispense with advertisements and notices. Offences. 122. Penalty for obstructing the execution of Act. 123. Penalty for preventing execution of repairs, &c. 124. Prohibition on persons interested voting as members of local authority. 125. Description of owner in proceedings. 126. Power of entry. 127. Miscellaneous. Exclusion of application of 10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. 17. 128. Payment of purchase or compensation money by one local authority to another. 129. Provisions as to medical officers of health. 130. Exemption from s. 133 of 8 & 9 Vict. c. 18. 131. Provisions with respect to money applicable under trusts for housing purposes. 132. Application of Act to New Forest. A BILL INTITULED An Act to consolidate the enactments relating to A.D. 1924. the Housing of the Working Classes in England and Wales. E it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, 5 as follows: 10 15 PART I. PROVISIONS FOR SECURING THE REPAIR, MAINTENANCE Obligations as to Repair of Houses. 1.-(1) In any contract for letting for habitation a Conditions dwelling-house at a rent not exceeding (a) in the case of a house situate in the administrative (b) in the case of a house situate elsewhere, twenty six pounds; there shall, notwithstanding any stipulation to the contrary, be implied a condition that the house is at the commencement of the tenancy, and an undertaking that the house will be kept by the landlord during the 20 tenancy, in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation: Provided that the condition and undertaking aforesaid shall not be implied when a house is let for a term to be implied on letting houses for habitation. [1909, ss. 14 and 15; 1923, s. 10.] A.D. 1924. of not less than three years upon the terms that it be put by the lessee into a condition reasonably fit for habitation, and the lease is not determinable at the option of either party before the expiration of three years. Application to houses workmen 5 (2) The landlord, or any person authorised by him in writing, may at reasonable times of the day, on giving twenty-four hours' notice in writing to the tenant or occupier, enter any premises to which this section applies for the purpose of viewing the state and condition 10 thereof. (3) In this section the expression "landlord means any person who lets for habitation to a tenant any house under any contract referred to in this section, and includes his successors in title, and the expression 15 "dwelling-house" includes part of a dwelling-house. (4) This section applies to a contract made either before or after the commencement of this Act: Provided that in the case of a house situate elsewhere than in the administrative county of London, or 20 a borough or an urban district with a population according to the last census for the time being of fifty thousand or upwards, the rent whereof exceeds sixteen pounds, this section shall not apply if the contract was made before the thirty-first day of July, nineteen hundred 25 and twenty-three. 2.-(1) Notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, where under any contract of employment of a occupied by workman employed in agriculture the provision of a house or part of a house for the occupation of the 30 engaged in agriculture. workman forms part of the remuneration of the workman, and the provisions of the foregoing section are [10 & 11 Geo. 5. c. 6. inapplicable by reason only of the house or part of the 8. 32.] house not being let to the workman, there shall be implied as part of the contract of employment, the like 35 condition and undertaking as would be implied under those provisions if the house or part of the house were so let, and those provisions shall apply accordingly as if incorporated in this section, with the substitution of employer" for "landlord," and such other modifications 40 as may be necessary : 66 Provided that this section shall not affect the obligation of any person other than the employer to repair a house to which this section applies, or any remedy for A.D. 1924. enforcing any such obligation. (2) This section shall apply whether the contract of employment was entered into before or after the com5 mencement of this Act, but shall not apply in respect of any period during which the house was occupied under any such contract before the first day of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-one. 3.-(1) If the owner of any dwelling-house suitable Power of 10 for occupation by persons of the working classes fails to local authomake or keep the house in all respects reasonably fit for rity to rehuman habitation, then, without prejudice to any other pair houses. powers, the local authority may serve a notice upon the [1909, s. 15 (9); 1919, owner of the house requiring him within a reasonable time, s. 28; 1921, 15 not being less than twenty-one days, specified in the s. 5; 1923, notice, to execute the works specified in the notice as s. 10.] being necessary to make the house in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation : Provided that, if the house is not capable without 20 reconstruction of being rendered in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation, the owner may, within twentyone days after the receipt of such notice, by written counter notice to the local authority declare his intention of closing the house for human habitation, and thereupon 25 a closing order shall be deemed to have become operative in respect of the house. Any question arising under this proviso shall, in case of difference between the owner and the local authority, be determined by the Minister. (2) If the notice of the local authority is not complied 30 with, then 35 (a) at the expiration of the time specified in that notice if no such counter notice as aforesaid has been given by the owner; and (b) at the expiration of twenty-one days from the determination by the Minister if such counter notice has been given by the owner, and the Minister has determined that the house is capable without reconstruction of being made in all respects reasonably fit for human habitation; 40 the local authority may themselves do the work required to be done. (3) Any expenses incurred by the local authority under this section, together with interest at such rate as |