The Decent Homes criteria

What follows is a breakdown of the key criteria which must be met in order for a home to meet the Decent Homes standard.

The home should meet the current statutory minimum standard for housing.

A home does not meet this standard if it has one or more of the following: 
structural disrepair

• structurally unstable 
• dampness that affects the health of the occupants 
• poor lighting, heating and ventilation 
• poor supply of clean water 
• poor system for the drainage of foul, waste
  and surface water 
• no suitably located toilet for exclusive use of
  the occupants 
• no bath or shower and wash-hand basin,
  with hot and cold water 
• no satisfactory facilities for the preparation and cooking of food, including a sink with hot and cold water.

The home should be in a reasonable state of repair

Properties do not meet this criteria if:

• one or more of the key building parts are old and because of their condition need replacing or major repair or
• two or more of the other building parts are old
  and, because of their condition, need replacing
  or major repair.

Key building parts are external walls, external roof structure and covering, windows and doors, chimneys, central heating boilers, gas fires, storage heaters, electrics and plumbing. Other parts of a home are kitchens and bathrooms.

The home has reasonably modern facilities and services

Homes do not meet this standard, if they lack three or more of the following:

• a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less) 
• a kitchen with adequate space and layout 
• a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less) 
• an appropriately located bathroom and toilet 
• adequate insulation against external noise (where external noise is a problem) 
• adequate size and layout of common areas for blocks of flats.

The home has a reasonable degree of thermal comfort

Properties do not meet this standard if they lack:

• cavity wall insulation (where applicable) 
• loft insulation heating to every habitable room.