BYELAWS RELATING TO
COMMON LODGING HOUSES

COMMON LODGING HOUSES

MADE BY THE MAYOR, ALDERMAN, AND BURGESSES OF THE BOROUGH OF SHREWSBURY, ACTING BY THE COUNCIL, WITH RESPECT TO COMMON LODGING – HOUSES IN THE BOROUGH OF SHREWSBURY.

For fixing the number of lodgers who may be received into a common lodging – house, and for the separation of the sexes therein; and

For the cleanliness and ventilation in such houses; and

For the giving of notices and taking precautions in the case of any infectious disease; and

Generally for the well ordering of such houses.

Interpretation

1. Throughout these byelaws the expression "the Council" means the Mayor, Alderman, and Burgesses of the Borough of Shrewsbury, acting by the Council.

2. A keeper of a common lodging – house shall not, at any one time, receive into any room therein used as a sleeping apartment a greater number of lodgers than will allow forty square feet of floor space for each person of an age exceeding ten years, and thirty square feet of floor space for each person of an age not exceeding ten years.

Provided that if the average height of the room is less that eight feet the floor space above specified shall be increased in the proportion of one – eighth for every foot or part of a foot by which the average height falls short of eight feet.

3. A keeper of a common lodging – house shall not, except as hereinafter specified, suffer any person of the male sex above the age of ten years to use or occupy any room used or occupied as a sleeping apartment by persons of the female sex.

He shall not, except as hereinafter specified, cause or suffer and person of the female sex to use or occupy any room used or occupied as a sleeping apartment by persons of the male sex above the age of ten years;

Provided that this byelaw shall not be taken to prohibit the use and occupation by persons living together as husband and wife in any room which is not used or occupied by any other person of either sex above the age of ten years; or which is used, in accordance with the provisions of the byelaw in that behalf, as a sleeping apartment for two or more married couples.

4. Every keeper of a common lodging – house shall cause every room therein which is used as a sleeping apartment by two or more married couples to be so furnished or fitted that every bed when in use shall be effectually screened from view of any occupant of any other bed, by the means of a partition of wood or other solid material.

5. Every keeper of a common lodging – house shall

1) maintain every yard, area, forecourt, or other open space within the curtilage of the premises at all times in good order, and keep such yard area, forecourt, or open space, thoroughly clean and wholesome;

2) thoroughly swap once at least in every day, before the hour of ten in the forenoon and thoroughly wash once at least in every week the floor of every room or passage and every stair in the house.

3) Thoroughly cleanse as often as shall be requisite every window, every fixture or fitting of wood, stone, or metal, and every painted surface in the house

4) a) keep thoroughly clean and wholesome all beds, bed clothes and bedding, used in the house

b) cause the bedclothes of every bed to be removed as soon as conveniently may be after the bed has been vacated by any lodger, and cause the bedclothes and the bed to be freely exposed to the air for two hours at least in every day.

5) provide and maintain for the use of the lodgers received into the house sufficient basins or other receptacles for water, of adequate capacity and suitability placed, a sufficient water supply and sufficient towels, and keep clean and in good order the basins or receptacles, and renew the supply of towels as often as may be requisite.
6) remove all solid or liquid filth or refuse before the hour of ten in the forenoon of every day from every room in the house, and afterwards thoroughly cleanse every vessel, utensil, or other receptacle for such filth or refuse.

7) keep thoroughly clean and wholesome the seats, floor, and walls of every watercloset, earthcloset, or privy belonging to the house.

8)    Maintain in efficient order and in a wholesome condition:

a) the structure of every watercloset belonging to the house
b) the apparatus of such watercloset and every drain or means of drainage with which it may communicate
c) every receptacle for filth provided or used in connexion with such earthcloset or privy for the application of dry earth or other deodorizing substance to any filth.

9) provide a sufficient supply of dry earth or other deodorizing substance for use in every earthcloset or privy, and cause it to be effectually applied, or cause such dry earth or other deodorizing substance as may be supplied to the house, in pursuance of the statutory provision in that behalf, by the Council or any person with whom they may contract for the purpose to be effectually applied:

10) maintain every ashpit belonging to the house in good order and in a wholesome condition, and if it is constructed or adapted for use only as a receptacle for ashes, dust, and dry refuse, free from any filth or wet refuse.

11) maintain all means of ventilation provided in connexion with any   room, passage or closet in the house in efficient order

12) keep fully open for two hours at least in every day, one window at least every room which may be appointed for use as a sleeping apartment, unless reasonably prevented by the state of the weather or any other sufficient cause.

6. Every keeper of a common lodging – house, immediately after he shall have been informed or shall have ascertained that any lodger in the house is ill of any infectious disease, shall adopt all precautions necessary for preventing the spread of the disease.

He shall not, at any time while the lodger is suffering from the disease, cause or allow any other person, except a person in attendance on the lodger, to use or occupy the same room as the lodger.

When, in pursuance of the statutory provision in that behalf, the Council order of the removal of the lodger to a hospital or other place for the reception of the sick, the keeper, on being informed of the order, shall forthwith take all necessary steps to secure the safe and prompt removal of the lodger, and shall adopt such precautions as, in accordance with any instructions which may receive from the Medical Officer of Health, may be most suitable.

When, in consequence of the illness of the lodger, there is reasonable ground for apprehending the spread of the infection, through the admission of lodgers to any room in the house, or through the admission to any room of the maximum number of lodgers authorised to be received therein, the keeper after being furnished with the necessary instructions from the Medical Officer of Health, and until the ground for apprehending the spread of infection shall have been removed, shall cease to receive any lodger in such room or shall receive therein such number of lodgers only as can properly be received.

He shall comply with all proper instructions of the Medical Officer of Health as to the cleansing and disinfection of the room and articles, and when they have been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected in accordance with such instructions, he shall give written notice thereof to the Medical Officer of Health; and until two days from the giving of notice shall have elapsed, and unless and until by the cleansing and disinfection the necessary precautions for preventing the spread of disease shall have been duly taken, shall not cause or suffer any other lodger to be received into the room which has been exposed to infection.

7. A keeper of a common loading – house shall not suffer;

1. any room which may be appointed for use as a kitchen or scullery to be used as a sleeping apartment:
2. any bed in any room which may be used as a sleeping apartment by persons of the male sex above the age of ten year, to be occupied at any one time by more than one person:
3. any lodger to occupy any bed in the house within eight hours after the bed has been vacated by another person

8. Every keeper of a common lodging – house shall cause every room in the house, used as a sleeping apartment, to be furnished with sufficient beds, bedsteads, bedclothes and utensils necessary for the requirements of the lodgers received into the room.

9. Every keeper of a common lodging – house, on receiving from the Council a notice or placard wherein shall be stated the description or number of the room to which the notice or placard may apply, and the maximum number of lodgers authorized to be received at any one time in the room, shall put up and continue the notice or placard in a suitable and conspicuous position in the room, and in such a manner that the words a figures in the notice or placard may be clearly and distinctly visible and legible.

He shall not wilfully conceal, deface, alter, or obliterate any letter or figure in the notice or placards, or wilfully or carelessly injure or destroy the notice or placard.

10. Every keeper of a common lodging – house, on receiving from the Council, for the purpose of exhibition in the house or in any room therein, a copy or copies of any byelaw or byelaws for the time being in force with respect to common lodging – houses, shall put up and continue the copy, or in the room, and in such a manner that the contents of the copy or copies may clearly and distinctly visible and legible.

He shall not wilfully conceal, deface, alter or obliterate any part of the contents of the copy or copies, or wilfully or carelessly injure or destroy the copy or copies.

11. Every keeper of a common lodging – house who shall offend against any of these byelaws shall be liable for every offence to a fine not exceeding the sum of five pounds, and in the case of a continuing offence to a further fine not exceeding the sum of forty shillings for each day during which the offence continues after conviction thereafter.

12. Repeal of byelaws – From and after the date of the confirmation of these byelaws, the byelaws relating to common lodging – houses which were made by the Mayor, Alderman and Burgesses of the Borough of Shrewsbury, acting by the Council, on the thirteenth day of August 1906, and were confirmed by the Local Government Board on the nineteenth day of October 1906, shall be repealed