Housing Maintenance Repairs and Improvements

Question 1

What do you know about current housing policy / law?

Answer 1

Numerous pieces of legislation and technical standards:

• Decent Homes Standard (2000)
• Housing Act 2004 - introduced the “Housing health and safety rating system”
• Homes (Fit for Human Habitation) Act 2018

Question 2

What is the “Housing health and safety rating system”?

Answer 2

• Evaluation tool for local authorities to assess risk posed by homes
• Brought in under Housing Act 2004

Question 3

What are the statutory rights and obligations of landlords/tenants regarding maintenance and improvements?

Answer 3

• Tenancy agreement will act as enforcement for certain repairs for landlords/tenants
• Defective Premises Act 1972 – duty of landlords to prevent injury/property damage caused by defects

Question 4

How can maintenance be planned for effectively?

Answer 4

Knowing your building stock
Likely defects related to the construction
Knowing the budget
Proactively inspected – not responsive to complaints
Establishing regular frequency of maintenance
Knowing life expectancy of components (kitchens, bathrooms etc)
Knowing materials used in maintenance
Prioritising most serious issues

Question 5

What Energy Standards apply to homes?

Answer 5

EPC certificates
MEES

Question 6

What did you include in the maintenance programme at Woodland Heights?

Answer 6

External decs to buildings
Internal decs, carpets
Flat roof repairs/replacement
Drainage repairs/unblocking
Landscaping works and repairs
Lift replacement
Lighting replacement/repairs
Intercom/entry phone replacement
Fire alarm maintenance
AOV maintenance
CCTV upgrade to off-site cloud storage

Question 7

What did you include in capital expenditure at Woodland Heights?

Answer 7

10-year forecast of when works would need to be done.
The anticipated expenditure each year
Recommended reserve fund collection each year