Decent Homes Guidance

Shown below is a summary of the guidance from central Government with regard to Decent Homes definitions, we use this guidance to make assessments on our properties. If you have any queries on this, use the Contact Us page, or call our Repairs team on 0151 261 2199.

The guidance has been updated to reflect the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) which replaced the Housing Fitness Standard on 6 April 2006. Further information can be found on the Communities and Local Government Web site.

A decent home meets the following four criteria:

A) It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing

Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those containing one or more hazards assessed as serious (‘Category 1’) under the HHSRS.

ODPM guidance It is unlikely that social landlords will be significantly affected by HHSRS, given the work already anticipated in relation to decent homes. On balance, we think that anywhere up to around 100,000 homes in the social sector would become non decent as a result of HHSRS The most common hazard is the hazard of excess cold and many of these hazards should have been tackled in meeting the decent homes thermal comfort criterion (or through existing programmes to tackle energy efficiency). However, landlords will need to consider if there are dwellings which will still have a low level of energy efficiency and may need further work to meet the decent home standard. There may be some landlords who have other problems in their stock. These problems should already be known to them - for example the extent to which radon affects housing in radon affected areas, or the presence of asbestos. (Source of analysis is the English House Condition Survey)

To give another idea about the likely scale of extra work as a result of HHSRS, it is worth noting that the most common category 1 hazards in the housing stock as a whole are cold (perhaps up to 15% of the housing stock), falls on stairs, falls on the level, followed by falls between levels, fire, lead and hot surfaces. However, landlords need to consider the hazards that are typical in their own stock. These hazards may or may not reflect the picture at the national level (particularly if hazards are geographically concentrated, in the case of radon, or if there is a problem with a particular type of construction). We do not expect landlords to remove a category 1 hazard where there are serious practical difficulties. For example, the hazard of falls in relation to stairs may be difficult to remedy in certain properties. In such cases, landlords should do what they can to lower the risk. Where a category 1 hazard remains after refurbishment they should consider whether the occupier is particularly vulnerable to that hazard. If so, landlords will need to consider whether the accommodation is more suitable for a tenant not in the vulnerable group.

B) It is in a reasonable state of repair

Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those where either:

one or more of the key building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair; Key building components are those which, if in poor condition, could have an immediate impact on the integrity of the building and cause further deterioration in other components. They are the external components plus internal components that have potential safety implications and include

Wall structure
Lintels
Brickwork (spalling)
Wall finish
Roof structure
Roof finish
Chimney
Windows
External doors
Heating central heating gas boiler
Heating other
Electrical systems
If any of these components are old and need replacing, or require immediate major repair, then the dwelling is not in a reasonable state of repair and remedial action is required

two or more of the other building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair.

Other building components are those that have a less immediate impact on the integrity of the dwelling. Their combined effect is therefore considered, with a dwelling not in a reasonable state of repair if two or more are old and need replacing or require immediate major repair and include

Kitchen
Bathrooms
Heating central heating distribution system

NB A building component can only fail to satisfy this criterion by being old and requiring replacing or repair. A component cannot fail this criterion based on age alone.

A component is defined as ‘old’ if it is older than its standard lifetime. Components are in poor condition if they need major work, either full replacement or major repair The Definition of ‘poor condition’ used in EHCS is as follows

Wall structure Replace 10% or more or repair 30% or more
Wall finish Replace/repoint/renew 50% or more
Chimneys 1 chimney need partial rebuilding or more
Roof structure Replace 10% or more or strengthen 30% or more
Roof covering Replace or isolated repairs to 50% or more
Windows Replace at least one window or repair/replace sash or member to least
two (excluding easing sashes, reglazing painting)
External doors Replace at least one
Kitchen Major repair or replace 3 or more items out of the 6 (cold water drinking
supply, hot water, sink, cooking provision, cupboards, worktop)
Bathroom Major repairs or replace 2 or more items (bath, wash hand basin, WC)
Electrical system Replace or major repair to system
Central heating boiler Replace or major repair
Central heating distribution Replace or major repair
Storage heaters Replace or major repair

C) It has reasonably modern facilities and services

Dwellings which fail to meet this criterion are those which lack 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) and
adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats.

NB A home lacking two or fewer of the above is still classed as decent, therefore it is not necessary to modernise kitchens and bathrooms if a home meets the remaining criteria.

One or more key components, or two or more other components, must be both old and in poor condition to render the dwelling non-decent on grounds of disrepair. Components that are old but in good condition or in poor condition but not old would not, in themselves, cause the dwelling to fail the standard.

A building component which requires replacing before it reaches its expected lifetime has failed early. Under the terms of the definition, this early failure does not render the dwelling non-decent but should be dealt with by the landlord, typically on a responsive basis.

The ages used to define the ‘modern’ kitchen and bathroom are less than those for the disrepair criterion. This is to take account of the modernity of kitchens and bathrooms, as well as their functionality and condition.

For example, in the EHCS:

A kitchen failing on adequate space and layout would be one that was too small to contain all the required items (sink, cupboards cooker space, worktops etc) appropriate to the size of the dwelling
An inappropriately located bathroom and WC is one where the main bathroom or WC is located in a bedroom or accessed through a bedroom (unless the bedroom is not used or the dwelling is for a single person). A dwelling would also fail if the main WC is external or located on a different floor to the nearest wash hand basin, or if a WC without a wash hand basin opens on to a kitchen in an inappropriate area, for example next to the food preparation area
Inadequate insulation from external airborne noise would be where there are problems with, for example, traffic (rail, road and aeroplanes) or factory noise. Landlords should ensure reasonable insulation from these problems through installation of appropriate acoustic glazing in line with the current Building Regulations
Inadequate size and layout of common entrance areas for blocks of flats would be one with insufficient room to manoeuvre easily for example where there are narrow access ways with awkward corners and turnings, steep staircases, inadequate landings, absence of handrails, low headroom etc.

NB Landlords may work to different detailed standards than those set out above. In some instances there may be factors which may make the improvements required to meet the Decent Homes standards’ challenging, or impossible, factors such as physical or planning restrictions. Where such limiting factors occur the property should be assessed to determine the most satisfactory course of action in consultation with the relevant body or agency so as to determine the best solution. The outcome may determine that some improvements may be possible even if all are not. A dwelling would not fail this criterion, where it is impossible to make the required improvements to components for physical or planning reason

D) It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

This criterion requires dwellings to have both effective insulation and efficient heating. It should be noted that, whilst dwellings meeting criteria b, c and d are likely also to meet criterion a, some Category 1 hazards may remain to be addressed. For example, a dwelling meeting criterion d may still contain a Category 1 damp or cold hazard The revised definition requires a dwelling to have both efficient heating; and effective insulation. Efficient heating is defined as any gas or oil programmable central heating; or electric storage heaters; or warm air systems; or underfloor systems; or programmable LPG/solid fuel central heating; or similarly efficient heating systems which are developed in the future.

The primary heating system must have a distribution system sufficient to provide heat to two or more rooms of the home. There may be storage heaters in two or more rooms, or other heaters that use the same fuel in two or more rooms. Even if the central heating system covers most of the house making a dwelling decent, under the HHSRS a landlord must be sure that the home is warm enough for the occupant. Heating sources which provide less energy efficient options fail the Decent Homes standard. Programmable heating is where the timing and the temperature of the heating can be controlled by the occupants. However this is not a requirement in supported housing or housing for older persons where it is necessary for health and safety reasons for landlords to ensure adequate levels of heating are maintained.

Because of the differences in efficiency between gas/oil heating systems and the other heating systems listed, the level of insulation that is appropriate also differs:

For dwellings with gas/oil programmable heating, cavity wall insulation (if there are cavity walls that can be insulated effectively) or at least 50mm loft insulation (if there is loft space) is an effective package of insulation and
For dwellings heated by electric storage heaters/LPG/programmable solid fuel central heating a higher specification of insulation is required: at least 200mm of loft insulation (if there is a loft) and cavity wall insulation (if there are cavity walls that can be insulated effectively).

A SAP rating of less than 35 (using the 2001 SAP methodology) has been established as a proxy for the likely presence of a Category 1 hazard from excess cold. From April 2007, local authorities will report energy efficiency using the new 2005 methodology.

Loft insulation thickness of 50mm is a minimum designed to trigger action on the worst housing. Where insulation is being fitted, landlords should take the opportunity to improve the energy efficiency and install insulation to a much greater depth.