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Refurbishment and improvement work

Planned improvements and programmed repairs

In addition to the day to day repairs we do, Dales Housing also has in place a programme of major works and improvement works to the homes that we rent. These programmes of work are carried out so that we can make sure our homes are kept in good condition and have modern facilities, fixtures and fittings.

Setting standards for refurbishment and improvement

The type of work we include in these programmes of property improvement work is typically for the refurbishment or replacement of the following items:

When will my home improvement be done

We also carry out other improvement works to upgrade thermal insulation, renovate communal areas of flats and repair or improve the external areas of landscaping.

When deciding what work we will do we need to consider a number of different factors that allow us to decide what work will be done and when.

One factor we take into account is the age and condition of each individual property and we judge this against a Government standard called the Decent Homes Standard.

The Decent Homes Standard sets out the minimum requirements for the condition of property. The standard looks at the age and condition of the parts of a building and sets out when these should be replaced or repaired.

To help us decide which properties need to have work done we need to know the condition of our homes. To find this out we undertake sample surveys of properties so that we always have up to date information about the condition of our homes.

Although the Decent Homes Standard sets out the minimum standard that we should meet when considering which properties to improve, Dales Housing also take into account other factors when deciding which what work we carry out. It is our aim to have in place programmes of work to exceed the minimum requirements of the Decent Homes Standard wherever this is possible and we have sufficient money available to do so.

More information about the Decent Homes Standard is available here:

http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/decenthomes

When will work be done?

Programmes of property improvement and refurbishment work are normally carried out in one large building contract lasting a number of years. Doing work in this way allows us to get better prices for the work and have more influence and tighter control the standard and quality of the finished improvement work.

Once a programme is prepared and we know which properties will be included we will write to tenants letting them know what work we are planning to do and when this is likely to be done. As the date for having work done approaches we will also visit individual tenants to discuss the work we plan to carry out in more detail.