What is a decent home?
A decent home is one which is wind and weather tight, warm and
has modern facilities. To achieve this minimum standard a
decent home will have to meet the following four criteria:
A. Meet the current statutory minimum
standard for housing
B. Be in a reasonable state of
repair
C. Have reasonably modern facilities and
services
D. Provides a reasonable degree of thermal
comfort
|
A. Statutory minimum standard for
housing: |
To meet this criteria the property must be free from significant
hazards to health and safety as assessed under the Housing Health
and Safety Rating System [HHSRS])
|
B. Reasonable state of
repair: |
This aspect considers the condition of the building
components.
Building components are the structural parts of a dwelling (e.g.
wall structure, roof structure) as well as other external elements
(e.g. roof covering, chimneys) and internal services and amenities
(e.g. kitchens, heating systems).
For the purposes of the decent homes standard building
components are split into two categories – ‘key’ and ‘other’.
Key building components are components which, if in poor
condition, could have an immediate impact on the integrity of the
building and cause further deterioration of other components. They
are the parts of a property that have potential safety
implications. They include: external walls; roof structure
and covering; windows/doors; chimneys; central heating boilers; gas
fires; storage heaters; plumbing and electrics;
If any of these key components are old and in poor condition
(i.e. need replacing or require immediate major repair) then the
dwelling is not in a reasonable state of repair and is considered
non-decent. Remedial action will be required.
Other building components are ones that are not considered to be
key components (i.e. they have a less immediate impact on the
integrity of the dwelling). The combined effect of these
components is considered in order to determine if a dwelling is in
a reasonable state of repair. They include: floor
construction; kitchen units; bathroom/wc; ceilings; internal walls;
internal joinery; staircase and damproof course.
If two or more of these components are old and in poor condition
then the dwelling is not in a reasonable state of repair and is
considered non-decent. Remedial action will be required.
|
C. Reasonably modern facilities and
services: |
A dwelling is considered to fail this criterion if it lacks
three or more of the following facilities:
- a kitchen which is 20 years old or less
- a kitchen with adequate space and layout;
- a bathroom which is 30 years old or less;
- an appropriately located bathroom and WC;
- adequate external noise insulation; and
- adequate size and layout of common entrance areas for blocks of
flats.
|
D. Reasonable degree of thermal
comfort |
A dwelling will need to have both efficient heating and
effective insulation.
Heating
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.
Heating sources which provide a less energy efficient option
will fail the Decent Homes standard.
Insulation
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:
|
Heating system |
Insulation requirement |
|
gas/oil programmable heating |
cavity wall insulation (if there are cavity walls that can be
insulated effectively)
OR,
at least 50mm loft insultation (if there is loft
space) |
|
electric storage heaters/ LPG/ programmable solid fuel central
heating. |
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). |
Where insulation is being fitted, landlords should take the
opportunity to improve the energy efficiency and install insulation
to a much greater depth (270mm recommended).
Where new heating systems are being installed or existing system
replaced, landlords should take the opportunity to increase the
energy efficiency of the dwelling by installing energy efficient
boilers and cavity walls if possible.
If new heating or insulation is being installed, it is also
important that steps are taken to ensure the dwelling is adequately
ventilated.
It should be noted that whilst dwellings that meet criteria B, C
and D are likely to also meet criterion A, some significant hazards
may still remain to be addressed e.g. a dwelling meeting criterion
D on energy efficiency and heating may still contain a significant
hazard for ‘Excess Cold’.
Implementing the Standard
The Decent Homes Standard is not a regulation and therefore is
not enforceable. However, it is a government standard that
local authorities must implement through financial assistance and
enforcement.
For information and advice
For further information please contact a member of the Housing
Standards Team on: 01225 396 418.
Assistance
- Bath and North East Somerset Housing Improvement Team
offer financial assistance in the form of low cost or zero
interest loans for home owners on a low income or it they are over
60 years of ages. Tel: 01225 396 216
- Bristol and Somerset Energy Efficiency Advice Centre offer free
impartial advice on energy saving, grants and discounts. Free
phone: 0800 512 012.
Enforcement
Bath and North East Somerset Housing Standards Team have a legal
duty under the Housing Act 2004 to take enforcement action where
significant hazards to health and safety are identified.
For information on the HHSRS go to: www.communities.gov.uk or to
view our enforcement policy:
/BathNES/Housing/housingadvice/housinginformationadvice/HsgServicesEnforcementPolicy.htm
