Decent Home Assistance/Decent Home Loan
Decent Home Assistance (DHA) or Decent Home Loan (DHL) is available to bring properties up to the decent home standard
What is a Decent Home?
A decent home is one which is wind and weather tight, warm and has modern facilities.
A decent home meets the following criteria:
1. It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing
The current minimum standard for housing is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) (Housing Act 2004). Under the HHSRS as assessment is made of 29 health and safety hazards within the dwelling and any dwelling with a category 1 hazard under this legislation will fail this criterion.
2. It is in a reasonable state of repair
A dwelling will meet this criterion unless:
- One of more key building components are old and, because of their condition need replacing or major repair; or
- Two or more other building components are old and, because of their condition need replacing or major repair.
Building components are the structural parts of a dwelling (e.g. wall structures, roof structure), other external elements (e.g. roof covering, chimneys) and internal services and amenities (e.g. kitchens, heating systems)
Key building components are those which, if in poor condition, could have an immediate impact on the integrity of the building and cause further deterioration of other components.
A component is ‘old’ if it is older than its expected or standard lifetime.
Components are in poor condition if they need major work, either full replacement of major repair.
3. It has reasonably modern facilities and services
A dwelling is considered not to meet this criterion if it lacks three or more of the following facilities:
- A kitchen which is 20 years old or less;
- A kitchen with adequate space and layout;
- A bathroom which is 30 years old or less;
- An appropriately located bathroom and WC;
- Adequate noise insulation; and
- Adequate size and layout of common entrance areas for blocks of flats
4. It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort
The definition requires a dwelling to have both:
- Efficient heating; and
- Effective insulation
Efficient heating is defined as any programmable gas or oil central heating or electric storage heaters or programmable LPG/solid fuel central heating.
Heating sources which provide less energy efficient options will fail the decent homes standard.
Programmable heating is where the timing and temperature of the heating can be controlled by the occupants.
Because of the differences in efficiency between gas/oil heating systems and other heating systems, the level of insulation required also differs:
- For dwellings with gas/oil programmable heating: cavity walls insulation (if appropriate) or at least 50mm loft insulation (if there is a loft space) is an effective package of insulation; and
- For dwellings heated by electric storage heaters/LPG/programmable solid fuel central heating a higher specification of insulation is required: at least 200mm of loft insulation (if there is a loft) and cavity wall insulation (where appropriate).
Who can apply for DHA/DHL?
The assistance is available is available to people who have owned and occupied for at least 3 years (or have a long lease with at least 5 years left to run). Priority will be given to applicants who are considered a vulnerable household.
Who is considered a vulnerable household?
A vulnerable household is defined as those who are in receipt of at least one of the following income related or disability benefits:
- Income Support
- Council Tax Benefit
- Guaranteed Pension Credit
- Working Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £15,460
- Child Tax Credit with an annual income of less that £15,460
- Income Based Employment and Support Allowance
- Income-Based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- Disability Living Allowance
- Attendance Allowance
- Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
- War Disablement Pension
The assistance is means tested, however if you are in receipt of an income-related benefit, you would normally be eligible for a 100% grant.
If you are in receipt of a non-income related disability benefit or Pension Savings Credit, then you will have to undergo a financial assessment, which looks at income and savings to determine whether you qualify. You may have to make a contribution towards the cost of the works.
Are there conditions attached to the DHA/DHL?
Decent Home Assistance is registered as a local land charge against the property, and is required to be repaid when the property is sold, assigned or transferred.
Decent Home loans are repayable at a subsidised rate of interest in accordance with the Home Trust loan scheme provided by the Council's approved loan provider.
How much is the level of the assistance?
There is no maximum assistance limit. However, the assistance is discretionary and each case will be determined on its individual merits. The Council may not proceed with works if it is considered that the works or cost are unreasonable or impractical.
Please note: If you start work before the Council approve the application, no assistance/loan can be paid in retrospect.
I need some help with all of this?
Our local Home Improvement Agency - Anchor Staying Put works in partnership with the Council and can assist in helping older people and people with disabilities with advice, support and assistance. They can act as your agent throughout the process and will charge a fee, but this can be included in the assistance/loan.
For further information contact:
Property Services Team:
Telephone (01323) 443321
Fax: (01323) 443349
Minicom: (01323) 443331
Email: privatehousing@wealden.gov.uk
Anchor at Home:
Telephone (01323) 441013