Decent Homes Standard

Front of two new build Selwood Housing properties in Great Somerford

The Decent Homes Standard

At Selwood Housing, we are committed to making sure that all our homes are safe, well maintained and meet high standards of quality. One of the ways we do this is by meeting the government’s Decent Homes Standard. Meeting this standard, is a requirement of the Consumer Standards for Social Housing introduced in April 2024.

What is the Decent Homes Standard?

The government’s Decent Homes Standard sets out the minimum standards for the condition of social and affordable homes. Its aim is to ensure that homes are in a reasonable state of repair, warm and energy efficient, safe and weatherproof, and have reasonably modern facilities.

A home is considered ‘decent’ if it meets the following four criteria:

A – Your home must meet the current statutory minimum standard for housing

Your home must be free from serious hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. This includes risks like dangerous electrics, structural issues, or serious damp and mould.

B – Your home must be in a reasonable state of repair

This means the main elements in your home shouldn’t be significantly dated or damaged. This covers major parts of the home such as:

roofs, chimneys and walls
windows and doors
heating systems
kitchens and bathrooms.

C – Your home should have reasonably modern facilities and services

Homes that meet this standard have at least four of the following features:

a kitchen that is less than 20 years old
a kitchen with adequate space and layout
a bathroom that is less than 30 years old
an appropriately located bathroom and WC
adequate insulation against external noise
adequate size and layout of common areas.

D – Your home should provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

Your home must have an efficient heating system and effective insulation to help keep it warm and affordable to run.

You can read the full Decent Homes Standard guidance on the Gov.uk website.

How we make sure your home meets the standard

To help keep your home in good condition, we carry out regular Major Maintenance Surveys (MMS) to assess the age and condition of key parts of your home. We also carry out energy efficiency surveys which produce your home’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Selwood Housing’s Homes Standard

As well as meeting the Decent Homes Standard, we have our own Selwood Housing Homes Standard which goes beyond the government’s measures. Our standard was developed with customers, and we achieve it by:

Monitoring the condition of our properties. Our surveyors complete a future major maintenance works survey for each home once every five years.
Carrying out a programme of work to make sure that all homes meet our Selwood Housing Homes Standard while achieving good value for money.

Download the Selwood Housing Homes Standard

Selwood Housing Homes Standard (Download - 583.18 KB)
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Your rights as a tenant

As a tenant, you have a right to live in a property that’s safe and in a good state of repair.

Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Selwood Housing must ensure that all homes we let are fit for human habitation on the day of letting and throughout the tenancy. A home may be considered unfit if it has:

Disrepair
Serious damp and mould
Unsafe electrics or gas
Water or sanitation problems
Other health and safety hazards.

If you’re worried about the condition of your home or think it may be unfit, please get in touch with us so we can put things right.

Your right to notice before visits

You have the right to receive notice of a proposed visit to carry out repairs or maintenance or to view the condition and state of repair of the property.

We will always give you at least 24 hours’ notice before visiting your home to carry out inspections, repairs or maintenance (unless it’s an emergency). Visits will take place at a reasonable time of day, and we ask that you give us access to your home when required, so we can keep it safe and well maintained.