Limavady District Housing Plan 2011/12 - Northern Ireland Housing ...

LIMAVADY
3.2 Objective 1 – Delivering the Decent Homes Standard
A decent home is one that meets modern standards in relation to fitness, structure,
energy efficiency and facilities. We had planned that all our properties would
reach the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) by 2010; however, reduced funding has
prevented this and we cannot say when this will now be achieved.
In the past year we completed:
• Heating installation to 49 homes;
• External Cyclical Maintenance to 34 dwellings;
• Installation of 149 smoke alarms and replaced 21 existing smoke alarms.
In addition:
• Work commenced on the replacement/installation of smoke alarms for a
further 262 units in the past year;
• Work has commenced on kitchen replacements for an additional 61 units.
Details of our programmes can be found in Appendix 2.
Providing Grants to private sector landlords and owner occupiers has been an
effective tool in maintaining properties in good condition and preventing them
from falling into unfitness or serious disrepair. However, due to current funding
restrictions discretionary Renovation, Replacement and Home Repair Assistance
grants are only available in exceptional circumstances. Grants to adapt
properties in the private sector for disabled people continue to be available. See
Appendix 2 for details of grants performance during 2010/2011.
In the past year the following were completed:
• 12 Renovation grants;
• 1 Replacement grant;
• 3 Repair grants;
• 48 Disabled Facilities Grants;
• 10 Home Repair Assistance grants.
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are an important part of the private rented
sector. Within Limavady, there were 21 properties identified by the Housing
Executive as potential Houses in Multiple Occupation. Ongoing identification of
potential HMOs, and ensuring compliance with the HMO Statutory Registration
Scheme, continue to present a significant challenge, as does the enforcement
activity associated with the scheme where non compliance exists. In the past
year, there were no Article 80 Notices (fit for number of occupants) and no Article
79 Notices (management standards) served in Limavady District. A HMO Strategy
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