Incroachments to be removed.
XII. And be it further enacted, That the respective Occupiers of Houses and other Buildings within the several Streets, and other publick Passages and Places aforesaid, shall, at their own Costs and Charges, within such Time and in such Manner as the said Commissioners shall from Time to Time (by Notice in Writing under their Hands, to be delivered to such respective Occupiers, or left at their respective Dwelling Houses) order and direct, cause all Signs belonging to, and which shall not be fixed or placed flat upon such respective Houses or other Buildings, to be taken down, and fixed or placed flat on the Fronts thereof; and all Sign Irons, Sign Posts, and other Posts, Penthouses, Spouts, Steps, Shop Windows and Cellar Windows, and other Incroachments, Obstructions, Projections, and Annoyances, which now or hereafter shall belong to such respective Houses or other Buildings, and which are or shall be incommodious to Foot Passengers, to be removed, altered, or reformed, and also to cause the Water to be conveyed from the Roofs, Cornices, and Penthouses of or belonging to such respective Houses or other Buildings, by proper and sufficient Pipes or Trunks, to be affixed to the Sides of such Houses and other Buildings respectively, and from thence by proper Drains into the common Drains or Sewers; and in case any such Occupier shall neglect or refuse so to do, it shall be lawful for the Commissioners to cause the same to be done, and to cause all the Costs and Charges attending the same to be levied by Distress and Sale of the Goods and Chattels of such Occupier, by Warrant under the Hand and Seal of any Justice of the Peace for the County of Middlesex (which Warrant such Justice is hereby required and authorized to grant), rendering the Overplus (if any) when demanded to the Person whose Goods and Chattels shall be so distrained and sold; and it the Tenant in Possession of any such House or other Building shall remove, alter, or reform any such Incroachments, Obstructions, Projections, or Annoyances as aforesaid, according to the Directions of the said Commissioners (except such as shall be put up or occasioned by such Tenant), it shall be lawful for every such Tenant to deduct and retain the Charges and Expences thereof out of his or her Rent, and the Landlord of every such House or other Building is hereby required to allow the same accordingly: Provided always, that nothing herein contained shall extend to authorize the said Commissioners to stop up any Cellar Window, where there shall be no other Way from the Street or other publick Passage or Place into such Cellar, unless the said Commissioners shall make or provide some other commodious and sufficient Way into such Cellar.