Public Health Act 1875

46 Houses to be purified, on certificate of officer of health, or of two medical practitioners.

Where, on the certificate of the medical officer of health or of any two medical practitioners, it appears to any local authority that any house or part thereof is in such a filthy or unwholesome condition that the health of any person is affected or endangered thereby, or that the whitewashing cleansing or purifying of any house or part thereof would tend to prevent or check infectious disease, the local authority shall give notice in writing to the owner or occupier of such house or part thereof to whitewash cleanse or purify the same, as the case may require.

If the person to whom notice is so given fails to comply therewith within the time therein specified, he shall be liable to a penalty not exceeding ten shillings for every day during which he continues to make default ; and the local authority may, if they think fit, cause such house or part thereof to be whitewashed cleansed or purified, and may recover in a summary manner the expenses incurred by them in so doing from the person in default.