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GHA chief executive Vic Slade said ideally condition checks would be made on 20% of the association’s 1,000 properties each year, which would mean every property was checked every five years. ‘We did 100% of properties, as we were not sure what had been done,’ she said. ‘Most of the homes were OK, but some properties have not had the work they needed.
’ She said the survey work meant the GHA now had a baseline for condition of all its properties. The survey was important for planning long-term work, such as replacing kitchens or windows or roofs. Ms Slade said that future investment programmes had to be planned over the period of the association’s 30-year financial business plan.
‘We need to know how much we need to spend on keeping existing homes in good condition, and when,’ she said. The UK has Housing Health and Safety Rating System for rental properties, and the GHA works to adhere to these standards. The system was incorporated into the stock condition survey to get a complete picture of homes it owns and manages.
‘HHSRS helps identify any hazards in the home so they can be addressed and ensure that homes are safe and healthy for residents,’ said Ms Slade. ‘This might be things like falls, damp and mould and excess cold. GHA has already prioritised and worked through the things identified in the HHSRS and is now working up its 30-year investment programmes.
’ She said that 84 single issues had been addressed following the survey. ‘Things we have tackled include improving ventilation in bathrooms in some older properties where the design of the house didn’t factor in potential damp and mould issues in bathrooms, fitting window restrictors where they were missing, and making sure smoke detectors are installed where needed,’ she said. In 2021, the States approved enabling legislation which gave the States the power to introduce housing standards via ordinance.
However that work is still ongoing, so the GHA has adopted the UK standards for now. It is hoped the local housing standards legislation will be approved by the States early next year. ‘Improving the quality of accommodation is a theme in the Guernsey Housing Plan, which is the island’s overarching housing strategy,’ said Ms Slade.
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