“Unless the cellar is in every part thereof at least seven feet in height, measured from the floor to the ceiling thereof, and is at least three feet of its height above the surface of the street or ground adjoining or nearest to the same; and
“Unless there is outside of and adjoining the cellar and extending along the entire frontage thereof, and upwards from six inches below the level of the floor thereof up to the surface of the said street or ground, an open area of at least two feet and six inches wide in every part; and
“Unless the cellar is effectually drained by means of a drain, the uppermost part of which is one foot at least below the level of the floor thereof; and
“Unless there is appurtenant to the cellar the use of a watercloset, earthcloset, or privy, and an ashpit, furnished with proper doors and coverings, according to the provisions of this Act; and
“Unless the cellar has a fireplace with a proper chimney or flue, and an external window of at least nine superficial feet in area clear of the sash frame, and made to open in a manner approved by the surveyor (except in the case of an inner or back cellar let or occupied along with a front cellar as part of the same letting or occupation, in which case the external window may be of any dimensions, not being less than four superficial feet in area clear of the sash frame).
“Provided that in any area adjoining a cellar there may be steps necessary for access to such cellar, if the same be so placed as not to be over, across, or opposite to the said external window, and so as to allow between every part of such steps and the external wall of such cellar a clear space of six inches at the least, and that over or across any such area there may be steps necessary for access to any building above the cellar to which such area adjoins, if the same be so placed as not to be over, across, or opposite to any such external window” (38 & 39 Vic. c. 55, s. 72).
Where two convictions in respect of the same cellar have taken place within three months, the local authority may close it, and recover any expenses incurred by them in the execution of this duty (38 & 39 Vic., c. 55, s. 75).
The next defect in a dwelling-house which will be considered is that of
Insufficient W.C. accommodation.
—A new house may not be erected without “a sufficient watercloset, earthcloset,[203] or privy” under a penalty not exceeding twenty pounds[204] (38 & 39 Vic. c. 55, s. 35).