I am new to this forum, so please be gental.

I live in a 1929 council built house. 4 yrs
will anyone know if council houses need to be a certain standard. ie modernised, toilet upstairs, not outside, as i am a youngish mum with kids and i am living in a property still in the 1920s. can anyone help, or advise, i'm desparate.

I am new to this forum, so please be gental.

I live in a 1929 council built house. 4 yrs
will anyone know if council houses need to be a certain standard. ie modernised, toilet upstairs, not outside, as i am a youngish mum with kids and i am living in a property still in the 1920s. can anyone help, or advise, i'm desparate.


i should imagine so. esp seen as though they are modernising properties that are 'newer' than the one you are living in.

my advice would be to telephone decent homes and ask them

thanks for that. i have phoned them, they say that i am having a DECENT HOMES in 2008, but as my home hasn't had the work all the other homes in my area have had, ie 1980 madernisation, then i will never get it.

27 years ago when the house was modernised, just central heating! nothing else.

i have origional electrics
only dowstairs outside toilet
old rotten windows and lintels
rising damp all downstairs
roof colasping causing damp in walls in bedroom
still have cold pantry
still have coal house
plaster on walls disintigrating
rising damp under stairs
stop tap in livingroom
still have old built in wood shelves in kitchen
old lead pipes sunk in walls
old quarry tiled skirting
the house was built on red shingle, and i'm not sure if it has a damp course, black brick i think.
this house could easily be put in to a museum.
i cannot cope with all the recuring structual cracks in most of the rooms.
i don't know where to go next
i have the council underpinning the whole living room floor as it is on a slope, i have to move out for 3 months.
why do the council let people suffer like this, i have 2 disabled children, and i am so unhappy,
does anyone have any suggestions?
can i do something to make them modernise my home and bring it into the 21st centuary?
please anyone thinking caps on... help!

(i don't want a free makeover, i'm not expecting that, i just want a home that i can paint and decorate, without having to do major repairs and i want a loo upstairs, so we don't have to travel through 5 rooms to get to ours)

You say you have been told that your house will be brought up to decent homes standards in 2008. Then you say it won't? I'm puzzled. There's quite a lot of information on the Sheffield Homes website about what decent homes standards mean, and the kind of work you can expect. http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/decent-homes/assessing-your-home

On the website it states clearly that kitchens over 20 years old will be replaced. It also states that they will try and instal toilets upstairs wherever possible. If you have had a visit from a member of your local decent homes team, and you aren't happy, ask that they clarify, in writing what you can expect. If you still feel that you aren't being treated the same as other tenants, speak to your local councillors.

However, it does sound to me as if they are concerned about the state of your home if they are doing some structural work that will take 3 months.

You say you have been told that your house will be brought up to decent homes standards in 2008. Then you say it won't? I'm puzzled. There's quite a lot of information on the Sheffield Homes website about what decent homes standards mean, and the kind of work you can expect. http://www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk/decent-homes/assessing-your-home

On the website it states clearly that kitchens over 20 years old will be replaced. It also states that they will try and instal toilets upstairs wherever possible. If you have had a visit from a member of your local decent homes team, and you aren't happy, ask that they clarify, in writing what you can expect. If you still feel that you aren't being treated the same as other tenants, speak to your local councillors.


However, it does sound to me as if they are concerned about the state of your home if they are doing some structural work that will take 3 months.

hi, yes the council, just this afternoon, have said they can put me a new kitchen in, but what they have said is that they will not be able to do the impovements (modernisation). they didn't say why. (lack of funds, nothing)

i have 1x 500 base unit, with 1 work surface, a 500 base sink unit, and thats it, ( i had to put them in as it was office furniture before, i replaced them) i have a 500 base unit size cooker stuck out in the middle of the kitchen, as theres no where else to put it due to the doors (3 of them in the way).
my concern is, that because they haven't or are not going to knock the two walls through, (origional modernisation done in 1980) i cannot get the stated anount of worksurface/ cupboards in.
presantly i bake, cook and serve on a 500 cm space, its a nightmare!!
why should i be punished cos another tennant 27 yrs ago wouldn't have the work done?
what gets my back up is that some younger council properties have had 2 modernisation projects done within the last 27 yrs.
another bash in the face is that the council have announced that they are to build 400 newbuild properties every year for the next 5 yrs, to cope with demand.

well, at least i will get the floor levelled!! the moving haunts me.

i am going to see Clive Betts by appointment this month, to see if he can get some answers. as i don't seem to be able to.
PS. i don't owe rent either, infront by £100s.
i even pay the same rent as those homes that have upstairs tiolet and new windows, oh and modernised.....

want an exchange?

can offer 3 bed in barnsley or under a bridge

Can you make your mind up?

You are saying in your first post that the property is still in the 1920's, then you are saying in your last post that it was actually modernised in 1980:- which is it? Modernised or unmodernised? You've got me confused here.

Can you make your mind up?

You are saying in your first post that the property is still in the 1920's, then you are saying in your last post that it was actually modernised in 1980:- which is it? Modernised or unmodernised? You've got me confused here.

sorry, i'm rather an emotional reck at the moment over it all, no, my house hasn't been modernised at all, but all the others in my area bar 3, have been fully modernised in 1980.
appologies!!

your house doesn't sound fit for anything, can your health visitor help? if you have disabled children then surely some priority should be given with modernisation, maybe moving out will be a good thing, the temp house might be better for you, i would definately get onto your local councillor and the HV, good luck.

your house doesn't sound fit for anything, can your health visitor help? if you have disabled children then surely some priority should be given with modernisation, maybe moving out will be a good thing, the temp house might be better for you, i would definately get onto your local councillor and the HV, good luck.

yeah, i wish i had one, my children are disabled, but i don't get any money through the DLA.
to tell the truth i just don't really inderstand, why theres one rule for one and another rule for others.
i see Mr Betts on the 19th.
the house i'm moving into is having a Decent Homes project done to it. my only worry is that they move me in to another property that still needs work done to it.
thanks for the "good Luck" i think i need it.

Hi, I'm currently studying property development and by no means an expert but i have learnt a bit about the law on living conditions during the degree so far.

Section 8 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that all houses rented must be fit for human habitation when let, and maintaned so that they remain fit.

Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 says that the landlord has a duty to repair rented properties. It says that the landlord of a house let for less than 7 years must keep in repair the structure and exterior and the installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and heating water.

However, the landlord is not liable for any problems with the property unless s/he is notified of them, so you should write a letter with a list of problems.

Also you can get a health/housing inspector from the city council to come and inspect your property. If the property is detrimental to your health then they will sort out the housing authority by giving them an abatement notice which orders your landlord to fix all the problems.

I'm pretty sure that the electrics have to have been done (i.e. a new fuse box etc) before you moved in if youre paying rent to comply with building regs etc.

I really would strongly recommend getting an inspector round becuase they have all the knowledge that they can then use as ammunition against the council to get it sorted. It really is unacceptable and aginst the law to let a property in the conditon that yours sounds like its in.

I hope this info helps, best of luck, Chrissy

Hi, I'm currently studying property development and by no means an expert but i have learnt a bit about the law on living conditions during the degree so far.

Section 8 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 states that all houses rented must be fit for human habitation when let, and maintaned so that they remain fit.

Section 11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 says that the landlord has a duty to repair rented properties. It says that the landlord of a house let for less than 7 years must keep in repair the structure and exterior and the installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, sanitation, space heating and heating water.

However, the landlord is not liable for any problems with the property unless s/he is notified of them, so you should write a letter with a list of problems.

Also you can get a health/housing inspector from the city council to come and inspect your property. If the property is detrimental to your health then they will sort out the housing authority by giving them an abatement notice which orders your landlord to fix all the problems.

I'm pretty sure that the electrics have to have been done (i.e. a new fuse box etc) before you moved in if youre paying rent to comply with building regs etc.

I really would strongly recommend getting an inspector round becuase they have all the knowledge that they can then use as ammunition against the council to get it sorted. It really is unacceptable and aginst the law to let a property in the conditon that yours sounds like its in.

I hope this info helps, best of luck, Chrissy

thanks so much for this information, i will be persuing them for an inspection, the damp is worse and my child is suffering from asthma, and has been perticularly bad over the last few months.
many thanks again!!:)

decent homes is just modernization of kitchens/ bathrooms and heating etc.
the money is to bring properties up to a certain standard as required by Europe and the money is funded from Europe.

they will not fund a project like yours it sounds like it a total make over to be honest and that is not what better homes does.

they merely paint over the cracks and rush in and out as fast as possible, the will not do any structural work as they only have staff for the trades above... i have worked in properties were a wall needs removing and because it slows down the pace of the scheme it is left in.

i am 100% sure no other work will be done and the property will be passed back to the council to sort out.

i have never done anything more than the min in a property even down to were the radiators go .. each house is standardised .

i hope this helps, john