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Home and community
Suitable housing - is your home fit to live in?
Your home needs to be in a good state of repair, be sound and secure and not have any deficiencies that would endanger you or you family. Your council will have guidelines to help them check the suitability of any property used as a domestic home.
What are the guidelines?
A home is considered fit for use unless it fails one of the following requirements:
- it is structurally stable
- it is free from serious disrepair
- it is free from dampness prejudicial to the health of the occupants (if any)
- it has adequate provision for lighting, heating and ventilation
- it has an adequate piped supply of wholesome water
- there are satisfactory facilities in the dwelling for the preparation and cooking of food, including a sink with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water
- it has a suitably located water closet for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any)
- it has, for the exclusive use of the occupants (if any), a suitably located fixed bath or shower and a wash hand basin each of which is provided with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water
- it has an effective system for the draining of foul water and surface water
If your council deems a property to be unfit it will take a suitable course of action to deal with the problem. There are several options available to the council, when dealing with a property:
- a repair notice
- a closing order
- a demolition order, or
- include the property in a clearance area
Your council will always follow a set of procedures when it has made a decision about an unfit property. If you think you will be affected by an unfit housing decision, you must contact you council directly.
What is a repair notice?
If a house is in need of repair, the council can issue a repair order to ensure these improvements are carried out. Your council will also insist the repairs are carried out by a certain date. A repair notice is often used for works such as damp proofing, replastering and plumbing.
What is a closing order?
A closing order will require all proposed use of a property to be approved by the council first. This means the council issues this type of order to prevent the premises being lived in.
What is a demolition order?
As the name suggests, these orders are issued where demolition of the premises is the most practical course of action.
What is a clearance area?
A clearance area consists of housing which is unfit for human habitation and will be demolished. This is seen as the best way of dealing with a collection of houses that are no longer of any practical use. It is important to remember that this is a very detailed procedure. No clearance of an area will take place without thorough consultation by those people who will be affected by the decision.
Contacting your local council
It is always advisable to speak to your council's housing department if you have concerns about your home. Your council will provide you with full information about your home and how it is deemed fit under the law.
The following link will let you enter details of where you live and then take you to your local authority website where you can find out more.
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