We are therefore investing around £30 million a year for the next four years. All of our housing stock will be improved to the decent homes standard by 2018/19.

Our refurbishment programme

The programme of refurbishment will cover internal works where, according to the decent homes standard, a home lacks three of these criteria:

• 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
• safe and efficient heating
• safe and efficient electrical wiring

Our decent homes work guidance

Our guides explain what you can expect when works are being carried out. They also show the choice of colour schemes on offer.

Electrical works (PDF, 1.2 MB)

Kitchen and bathroom upgrades (PDF, 2.6 MB)

Kitchen colours (PDF, 169.00 KB)

Bathroom colours (PDF, 76.00 KB)

Prioritisation and notification

Our decent homes upgrade programme is based on a stock condition survey of housing properties, and we are working on the worst properties first. However, if the majority of properties in your street or block are being refurbished and yours has not been surveyed, let us know. To contact us about decent homes, you need to be signed in to your My Account. If you don’t have one, you can create a My Account.

Notification

You’ll be notified by letter that your property either requires a survey or has already been included in the programme to have works carried out. If your property is surveyed and meets the required standard, improvement works will not be carried out. If works are required you’ll be contacted by the appointed contractor four weeks before the works are due to start.

Vacant properties

Sometimes we'll carry out work to an individual property in a street or block when the tenant moves out. It makes financial sense for us to carry out necessary works while the property is vacant. These vacant properties will be in addition to the 4,000 properties that are currently in the programme for this year.

Refusing works to your council home

As a responsible landlord we have a duty to maintain our council housing stock. If your property has been identified as requiring works then you cannot refuse to allow them to be carried out. All works that are identified in your home must be carried out for health and safety reasons.

Also, you cannot refuse us access to carry out a stock condition survey, which allows us to determine what works are required.

If a tenant is frail, or is in ill health and undergoing treatment, our Housing Officer will work with them and their families so that works can go ahead with minimum disruption.

In exceptional circumstances we might agree to delay works, but the property cannot be removed from the works programme and any works will still need to be completed before the programme ends.

Contact us

To contact us about decent homes, you need to be signed in to your My B&D Account. If you don’t have one, you can create a My B&D Account.

Decent homes enquiry form