We have worked closely with groups of tenant representatives to establish the best way of deciding which homes will receive what decent homes work first.
The stock condition survey data we have on our homes tells us that the different types of work required in homes needs to be undertaken at different times and in which year. This is generally based upon the age and condition of elements in a home.
After consulting with residents, it has been suggested works should be grouped together if a number of different types of work are required inside a home to make it comply with the Decent Homes Standard.
For example, a homes receiving a new central heating system, a new kitchen and a new bathroom would be undertaken, where practically possible, as part of the same project in the same year, rather than as part of different projects over a number of different years.
This was of working is also better for the contractors carrying out the work for us. It means they can organise and supervise improvements to large numbers of homes more efficiently.
How neighbourhoods have been prioritised
After consulting with residents, a way of deciding the priority of neighbourhoods was devised, which works like this: the higher the average cost of work required to all homes in a neighbourhood, the higher up the priority list the neighbourhood will be and the sooner the work will be carried out.
As we are now 5 years into the programme and as our stock data is 5 to 10 years old in some cases, we have taken the opportunity to re-survey properties earlier in 2010 which were scheduled for evaluation during 2010. The revised programme of major component renewals and future potential Decent Homes failures will be published shortly following resident consultation and committee approval.
What does "target year" mean?
The "target year" indicated in the programme means the year in which we are currently planning to deal with the work of major component renewals in a particular neighbourhood.
This is normally the financial year. For example, a target year of 2011/12 means that we plan to carry out work in a neighbourhood during the period of time between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2012. This means some homes will receive work towards the beginning of this period and some will receive work at the end.
Please remember that the timescale and type of any work shown, may be subject to change, to allow for any unforeseen circumstances we find as works are undertaken. However, we will try to avoid such changes wherever possible.
The extent of works in homes
Different elements of work will be required in different homes.
Some homes scheduled for work under our target programme may have already received response repair work or other improvement work since our stock condition survey was carried out. All of the work targeted to be carried out in the programme is therefore subject to further survey.
This means that when we come to resurvey your home in the year works are scheduled to be undertaken in your neighbourhood, some elements of your home may have received the benefit of major works already. For example, your home may have received a replacement kitchen or very significant repairs, within the last 5 years.
Your home may not therefore require the full extent of work we have included in our target programme. This will be discussed with you when your home is re-surveyed.
