Decent Homes
SDS Consultants have carried out large value refurbishment projects for Local Authority and Housing Association clients.
The Decent Homes Standard covers 4 elements and every home has to be assessed against each element:
Fitness - this means being fit for human habitation and meeting minimum Health and Safety standards.
Reasonable state of repair - this means ensuring the integrity of the structural parts, for example, being wind and watertight and having a modern electrical supply such as an adequate number of electrical sockets in each room.
Modern Standards - this means, for example, having a reasonably modern kitchen (under 20 years old) and bathroom (under 30 years old).
Thermal Comfort - this means the home must have adequate heating and insulation and be affordable to keep warm.
A home will fail the Decent Homes Standard, if it does not meet the elements of fitness, reasonable state of repair and thermal comfort and it does not meet at least 3 of the tests within the modern standards.
This means that all Council and Registered Social Landlords must find out which of their homes do not meet the Decent Homes Standard and why, and then put a plan in place, which will allow them to meet the Standard by 2010.
SDS also play a vital role in managing the process of identifying the dwellings in need of upgrading, we also develop strategies to ensure our clients meet the minimum standards put forward by central government.
Call us on 020 8438 6333 for more information or email us at info@sdsconsultants.co.uk
