July 12, 2011 3.08 pm This story is over 160 months old

City’s council homes to get improvements

Home improvement: The city council are hoping to improve council homes for potential and current tenants.

Council properties on Lincoln’s Hartsholme, Birchwood, Boultham and Manse estates are to get much-needed improvements.

City of Lincoln Council recently completed a five-year programme of improvement work to ensure that its housing stock meets the Decent Homes Standard (DHS).

Future improvement work is planned to ensure that the stock is still maintained to meet the DHS.

In order for a property to be classed as decent, a home must be warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern facilities.

The DHS criteria are as follows:

  • It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing
  • It is in a reasonable state of repair
  • It has reasonably modern facilities and services
  • It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

According to the council, this means a property must:

  • Have no category one hazards, as assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
  • Be free from structural disrepair
  • Be in a reasonable state of repair (roof, chimney, walls etc.)
  • Not lacking three or more of the following:
    – have a kitchen less than 20 years old, or in a reasonable condition
    – have a kitchen with adequate space and layout
    – have a bathroom less than 30 years old, or in a reasonable condition.
    – have an appropriately located bathroom and WC
    – adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem).
    – adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats
  • Have a programmable heating system – full central heating
  • Have effective insulation
  • Provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort
Source: City of Lincoln Council