Is your home decent?
The Office of Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has set a target of 2010 to:
- Bring all housing into a decent condition, with most of this improvement taking place in deprived areas
- Increase the proportion of private housing in decent condition occupied by vulnerable groups.
The Government’s current targets are to increase from 57 per cent in 2001 to:
- 63 per cent in 2005
- 70 per cent by 2010
- 75 per cent by 2015/20.
A survey of homes in North Lincolnshire was recently completed. It estimated that 24.4 per cent of private sector housing would be categorised as non-decent. This represents 13,965 homes in the council area. The majority of homes fail the decency standard due to a lack of modern facilities (29.6 per cent) and inadequate heating (65.3 per cent).
What is a decent home?
A 'decent home' is one that is in a good state of repair, wind and weather tight, warm and has modern facilities.
What are 'decent homes'?
Decent homes are an essential part of a sustainable community. A home and the environment around it have a major impact on the physical health, mental health and wellbeing of the people who live there.
Poor housing and poor environments can contribute to an area having a bad reputation. They are factors that have contributed to areas becoming unpopular. This makes communities unsustainable.
What criteria make a home 'decent'?
For a home to be classed as 'decent' it must meet the following criteria:
HHSRS (Housing Health & Safety Rating System)
Be free of Category 1 Hazards.
Reasonable state of repair
A home fails to meet these criteria if:
- One or more of the key building components is old and, because of its condition, needs replacing or major repair. For example, external walls, roof structure and covering, windows/doors, chimneys, central heating boilers, gas fires, storage heaters and electrics.
- Two or more of the other building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair. For example, kitchens and bathrooms.
And as a result it leads to a likelihood that occupants may be exposed to the following hazards:-
- Damp and mould growth
- Excess cold
- Excess heat
- Asbestos (and MMF)
- Biocides
- Carbon monoxide and fuel Combustion products
- Lead
- Radiation
- Uncombusted fuel gas
- Volatile organic compounds
- Crowding and space
- Entry by intruders
- Lighting
- Noise
- Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse
- Food safety
- Personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage
- Water supply for domestic purposes
- Falls associated with baths etc
- Falls on the level
- Falls associated with stairs and steps
- Falls between levels
- Electrical hazards
- Fire
- Hot surfaces and materials
- Collision and entrapment
- Explosions
- Ergonomics
- Structural collapse and falling elements
Reasonably modern facilities and services
A property will fail to meet these criteria if it lacks three or more of the following:
- a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less)
- a kitchen with adequate space and layout
- a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less)
- an appropriately located bathroom and WC
- adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem)
- adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats.
Reasonable degree of thermal comfort
This means it must have effective insulation and efficient heating.
For further advice and information on the Decent Homes Standard or if you are concerned that your home doesn’t meet the standard, please contact Environmental Health (Housing) on 01724 297431.
Alternatively, email us at Environmentalhealth.housing@northlincs.gov.uk
Further information