Northampton Tenants’ Panel

1. Northampton Tenants’ Panel Stock Condition Surveys What are they and what can you expect from them?Dr Steve SharplesPS ConsultantsITA October 2012

2. Social Housing: The Holy Trinity Repairs( putting something right) Emergency Urgent Non-urgent Improvements( change – for the better)Major capital itemsHomes and estates Maintenance( preventing problems occurring / extending the life of components) Least glamorous – but most essential task !

3. Three Housing Quality Standards • The Decent Homes Standards • The Stock Condition Survey Standard(based on ‘Schedule of Rates’ and ‘Lifecycle Standards’) • Tenant Aspirational Standards (e.g. the ‘Northampton Standard’ as defined in 2005 and which will be re-defined in 2012/13)

4. Reminder - the Decent Home Standard(DHS) A ‘Decent Home’ must meet four criteria: - • Meet the current minimum standard for housing • Be in a reasonable state of repair • Have reasonably modern facilities and services • Provide a reasonable degree of warmth

5. DHS - A Minimum Standard Remember – the Decent Homes Standard is a minimumstandard only Example – Criteria 3 ‘It must have reasonably modern facilities and services’

6. 3It has reasonably modern facilitiesand services • Dwellings failing on this point are those that lack three or more of the following: - • A reasonably modern kitchen (20 yrs or less) • A reasonably modern bathroom (30 yrs or less) • An appropriately located bathroom and WC • Adequate noise insulation • Adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats

7. Stock Condition Surveys and the DHS Landlords need up to date stock condition informationto help judge : 1. How many of their homes currently meet the Decent Homes Standard What they will need to spend to bring homes that are not currently at that standard up to it What they will need to spend to keep all their homesup to that standard over the next 30 years ( becauseeach year some homes may again fall below it)

8. Stock Condition Surveys Stock Condition Surveys do more than just tell you about how your homes stand in relation to the Decent Homes StandardThey establish their own standard

9. Stock Condition Surveys • Give a picture of the overall state of council homesand estimate what needs to be spent to bring themup to, and keep them, at a good standard – over 30 years‘good standard’ defined from a surveyors perspective – an objective view of what needs to be done to protect the assetLinks to : • Asset Management • Tenant Priorities / Aspirationsand both of those are important aspects of council strategic and action planning

10. SCS Method • Based on a sample of properties(reflect numbers in stock as whole)25% sample by Savills in Northampton • Uses 1. Life expectancies of components • 2. Schedule of Rates

11. Typical Life Expectancies of Components - in years Roof 60 Windows 30 Doors 30 Kitchens 20 Bathroom 30 Electrics 30 Boiler 15

12. Typical Schedule of Rates Roof £4,000 Windows £2,800 Doors £500 Kitchens £4,000 Bathroom £1,800 Electrics £2,300 Boiler £1,800

13. How is the make up of the sample determined ? • By property characteristics : • Property type – house / flat ; semi or terraced ; etc. • Age - when built • Construction – type ( trad/no-trad) ; materials ; etc. • Geography

14. The Survey Categories Savills have to estimate how much needs to be spenton ; 1. Catch – up repairsRepairs that need to be done quickly (and may have been in the system, or known about, for some time)

15. Example – South Cambridgeshire Catch/Up

16. Future Major Works What needs to be done to ensure the existing major components of the building are in a good conditionUsually estimated for 5 and 30 years

17. Example – South Cambridgeshire Future Major Works (5 Years)

18. Example – South Cambridgeshire Future Major Works (30 Years)

19. Improvements Putting in things that are not currentlythere – but should be( reflects taste, aspirations, modern practice, etc.)

20. Improvements Example – South Cambridgeshire

21. 4. Related Assets e.g. garages, unadopted areas • 5. Contingencies e.g. asbestos, subsidence • 6. Exceptional Extensives e.g. non traditional properties car parking areas, legal requirements • 7. Disabled adaptations

22. Example – South Cambridgeshire Comparison

23. A Tenant Aspirational Standard • Had the Northampton Standard of 2005 been implemented it would have been made up of; • All the items recommended in the previous SCS • Plus some extra items identified by tenants

24. The ‘Northampton Standard’ - 2005 • Council worked with the ‘Housing Investment ActionGroup’ to establish a tenant aspirational standard in2005 • Arrived at by adding to the Stock Condition Standards • requirements around: • Provision of walk-in showers in sheltered properties • Increased frequency of bathroom replacements • Installation of security fencing and lighting • Increased costs by around 6%

25. Costing the 3 standards The 2005 Results

26. The Northampton Tenant Survey 2012 • Will help establish tenant aspirations for their homes and the housing services they receive in • the future • Has 4 sections : • Housing Services • The Housing Options Review • Improving Homes and Repairs Service • Safe and Pleasant Neighbourhoods

27. Questions in sections on ; • Improving homes and repairs service • Safe and Pleasant Neighbourhoods • will produce information that will help define a Tenant Aspirational Standard. • Tenant Panel also to be part of that work