Permissiveness
There are several reasons why the act was permissive, the main one being the protection of property rights. Many felt the act was an infringement of such rights, including many within the party, who pressurized Richard Cross against making it compulsory. Also, it may have seen to have been an attack on landlords, traditional Tory voters. As well as this, it was passed in a time where the Government adopted a predominately laissez faire attitude to politics. Disraeli proclaimed in June 1875: "Permissive legislation is the characteristic of a free people".
Read more about this topic: Artisans' And Labourers' Dwellings Improvement Act 1875