This study deals with the creation of the "housing problem", Victorian values and attitudes towards it and with various attempted solutions. The rapidly expanding populations of 19th century towns, together with the absence of political or administrative machinery to control the expansion, created a "housing problem" and related social problems for the Victorian age. Slums and suburbs were a physical expression of the social polarization associated with 19th century housing. The contributions of builders, landowners and landlords to the situation are separately examined with reference to brief case studies of individual towns. Furthermore, the implications of low and irregular wages on the quality of affordable accommodation is seen as central to inadequacy of housing. The physical characteristics, space and amenity aspects of housing are examined, with a view to explaining why geographical variations arose in vernacular architecture and why the internal arangements of the house were redesigned, changing the nature of every-day life for the residents.