Housing Standards

The quality of the housing that we live in has a significant influence on our health, comfort and well being.  Where housing conditions are unsatisfactory, perhaps due to their design, disrepair, or overcrowding, then occupants are adversely affected.

Housing conditions in Swindon are above the national average, however a significant number of houses remain unsatisfactory.

The Council's Residential Services Team provide a wide range of housing services, mostly focused on the private sector. Our primary role is to ensure that housing of all tenures remains safe, suitable & healthy for its occupants.

This is achieved by providing a balance of advice, enforcement, and in certain circumstances, financial assistance to occupiers and providers of housing accommodation.

The Government has introduced a new method of assessing dwellings for suitability for occupation, replacing the Previous Fitness Standard.  The Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS) shifts the emphasis away from failing structural elements of a dwelling, or lack of amenities, considering instead 29 'hazards'.  Local Authorities are asked to consider the dwelling as a whole, and assess the likelihood of any negative impacts on potential occupants from each of 29 specified hazards.  The severity of any likely impacts are rated to arrive at a Hazard Score for each significant hazard.  Hazard Scores fall into bands from A to J, with A being the most hazardous, J the least.  Bands A, B & C, classed Category 1 hazards, are roughly equivalent to a judgement of 'Unfit for Human Habitation' under the previous system.  The Government has prescribed that Local Authorities must take action to alleviate Category 1 hazards, and have a power to take action to alleviate hazards in Bands D to J.

The HHSRS uses a mathematical formula to arrive at a numerical representation of an Officer's judgement about a particular hazard, but the scores are weighted in accordance with nationwide health and accident statistics to focus Officer's attention on those defects that are proven to have a health impact.  It is thought that the use of this new rating system will concentrate enforcement activities and other assistance more tightly on to issues that actually impact on peoples' health, rather than on defects that may be merely indicative of disrepair or poor maintenance.  Defects such as Inadequate Heating and/or Insulation, Damp or Mould will be given more weight, and defects such as poor quality brickwork or paintwork will be given less.