Summary of ITA presentation to Northampton Tenants Panel Stock Condition Surveys What are they and what can you expect from them? Dr Steve Sharples PS Consultants ITA October 2012
Social Housing: The Holy Trinity Repairs ( putting something right) Emergency Urgent Non-urgent Improvements ( change for the better) Major capital items Homes and estates Maintenance ( preventing problems occurring / extending the life of components) Least glamorous but most essential task!
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)
Reminder - the Decent Home Standard(DHS) A Decent Home must meet four criteria: - 1. Meet the current minimum standard for housing 2. Be in a reasonable state of repair 3. Have reasonably modern facilities and services 4. Provide a reasonable degree of warmth Remember the Decent Homes Standard is a minimum standard only
Stock Condition Surveys and the DHS Landlords need up to date stock condition information to help judge : 1. How many of their homes currently meet the Decent Homes Standard 2 What they will need to spend to bring homes that are not currently at that standard up to it 3 What they will need to spend to keep all their homes up to that standard over the next 30 years ( because each year some homes may again fall below it)
Stock Condition Surveys (SCS) Stock Condition Surveys do more than just tell you about how your homes stand in relation to the Decent Homes Standard They establish their own standard NBC has appointed Savills to carry out SCS through a 1 in 4 sample survey of all homes in the Borough, across all property types
Stock Condition Surveys Give a picture of the overall state of council homes and estimate what needs to be spent to bring them up 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 asset Links to : Asset Management Tenant Priorities / Aspirations and both of those are important aspects of council strategic and action planning
Stock Condition Survey 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
Typical Life Expectancies of Components - in years Roof 60 Windows 30 Doors 30 Kitchens 20 Bathroom 30 Electrics 30 Boiler 15
Typical Schedule of Rates Roof 4,000 Windows 2,800 Doors 500 Kitchens 4,000 Bathroom 1,800 Electrics 2,300 Boiler 1,800
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 (traditional or not); materials; etc. Geography
The Survey Categories Savills have to estimate how much needs to be spent on; 1. Catch up repairs Repairs that need to be done quickly (and may have been in the system, or known about, for some time)
2. Future Major Works What needs to be done to ensure the existing major components of the building are in a good condition Usually estimated for 5 and 30 years
3. Improvements Putting in things that are not currently there but should be ( reflects taste, aspirations, modern practice, etc.)
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
The Northampton Standard - 2005 The Council worked with the Housing Investment Action Group to establish a tenant aspirational standard in 2005. Had the Northampton Standard of 2005 been implemented it would have been 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 This would have increased costs by around 6%
Costing the 3 standards The 2005 Results
Millions Comparison Example South Cambridgeshire 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 1 to 5 6 to 10 11 to15 16 to20 21 to 25 26 to 30 Minimum Survey Aspirational
The Northampton Tenant Survey 2012 The tenant questionnaire survey form has been sent to all NBC tenants. The response will help to establish tenant aspirations for their homes and the housing services they receive in the future by asking for tenants views on 4 issues. These are: Housing Services The Housing Options Review Improving Homes and Repairs Service Safe and Pleasant Neighbourhoods
The Northampton Tenant Survey 2012 will define a new Tenant Aspirational Standard 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