Policy Options for Decision Points

1. Decoration

Current Position: A Decorating Arrangement is in place across Housing Standards and Housing Management services. This is delivered in partnership with Dulux Decorating Centres, allowing Paint Packs to be ordered by tenants from a range of colour choices and delivered to their homes removing travel costs. Paint packs are allocated at the discretion of the Housing Officer.

Draft Policy Position: A decoration assessment will be undertaken by the surveyor. Sound existing decorations will be left regardless of previous tenant’s taste or colour choices.

Industry Practice: Desk research found varying levels of decoration support across the sector – paint packs / vouchers / use of decoration support as incentives on hard-to-let properties and the possibility of full decoration assistance where tenants may struggle physically to complete it.

Decent Homes 2: No indication that this type of provision would be included within Decent Homes 2.

Option One: Continue with the current policy, no decoration would be completed and utilise the Dulux paint packs. The value/allocation would be determined case by case by the Housing Officer.

Option Two: Full decoration. Gardenia coloured emulsion applied to walls and ceilings and white paint to all woodwork. In house decorators would form part of the void team to undertake this work. Additional void time 3 days depending on the size of the property, although the decoration would be carried out during the void works, therefore, minimal additional time would be required. Financial Implications - materials, labour and Void time plus 3 days[HH1]

A reduced option on this theme would be to provide a mist coat on all internal finishes. Financial Implications - materials, labour and void time plus 1 day.

Option Three: Remove decoration support, as per Leeds City Council example. This is not recommended as decoration support has proven to be a beneficial way in which social landlords can support tenants at the beginning of their tenancies, can increase lettings to hard to let properties and can empower tenants to maintain their home.

Option	Safety and Quality	Neighbourhood and Community	Tenure	Financial
Option One				None
Option Two
Option Two (lite)
Option Three

2. Heating System Commissioning

Current Position: All Heating systems are serviced as part of the void process. If the existing heating system is found to need replacement, an assessment is undertaken regarding the most appropriate and available heating source.

Where a gas boiler is left in situ the contractor caps off to maintain safety whilst work is undertaken in the void property.

At the time of allocation, the new tenant arranges a turn on and test/commissioning of the gas boiler with the Heating Contractor, during which they will be advised on how the system works. For all other heat sources system information is provided to the tenant by the Heating Contractor.

Tenant feedback: When asking new tenants for feedback regarding their recent property (Jan 2025), heating was a common theme of dissatisfaction. Many tenants stated they did not have heating for the first few weeks due to faults with their heating system “Problems with boiler and heating”; “Radiators were not working properly”. Some tenants highlighted how staff did not sufficiently explain their heating system which resulted in a lack of understanding surrounding how to work their heating system.

Proposed Policy: No Change, the above current practice is to ensure the safety of the property and operatives working in them. The gas is capped off at source to ensure safety during the void period from theft and accidental damage.

Decent Homes 2: Further consultation is due later in 2025. The Thermal Comfort Criterion, which Phase One identified as being significantly outdated, is being considered separately and it seems likely this will be consulted on in parallel with the new DHS including consultation on an EPC C regulatory standard in the social rented sector

Option One: No change to the proposed policy on commissioning, retain status quo.

Option Two: No change to the proposed policy on boiler commissioning, improve communications to tenants at sign up and ensure that tenants are confident in the use of the heating equipment – with a checklist or document that is signed by the incoming tenant confirming that they have been instructed on the use of the heating system and fully understand its functionality and use.

Option Three: Installing A rated heating systems on void, allowing follow up annual reviews through the use of technology, assessing efficiency, heat loss etc. There would be a significant financial implication to this which would require further modelling to explore the cost/ benefit to the organisation and to tenants.

Option	Safety and Quality	Neighbourhood and Community	Tenure	Financial
Option One				None
Option Two
Option Three

3. Floor Coverings,

Current Position: NYC installs vinyl flooring to all wet areas (Bathrooms/Kitchens) if the existing is deemed unsatisfactory. Currently we replace over 90% of bathroom flooring and 60% of kitchen flooring. No new floor coverings are fitted to other areas during void works, however, if carpets are left by the previous tenant and are to a good standard, these will be left in situ.

Proposed Policy:

· Floors will be checked to ensure that there are no loose or damaged floorboards and no nail heads sticking up.

· Unsafe flooring and floor treads on stairs will be repaired/replaced.

· Floors will be level and suitable for normal domestic coverings

· All floor coverings will be inspected by the Surveyor during the empty property inspection and if found to be in a satisfactory condition will be left for the new tenant

· Where possible properties will be advertised with information showing if carpets are included at the time of letting. Tenants who choose not to keep carpets left will be responsible for the lifting and disposal of carpets. No replacement carpets will be provided by the council

Best Practice: Varied – as discussed above – some providers have started to provide flooring above and beyond the Decent Homes requirement which is to kitchen and bathrooms. There is a growing school of thought around the provision of flooring to all areas of a social home.

Decent Homes 2: The Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023 stipulates, ‘At change of tenancy all habitable rooms (bedrooms and living rooms), staircases and landings located within the home should have suitable floor coverings’, therefore it is not unreasonable to predict an extension within the English Decent Homes Standard to include floor coverings.

Option One: Retain the current policy of bathroom and kitchen flooring being replaced at the discretion of the surveyor.

Option Two: Install new flooring in bathrooms and kitchens only. Average cost £400 per property inclusive of fitting. Gifted to tenant to maintain and manage. Additional void time would be minimal as the vinyl would be fitted alongside the works. Financial Implications based on additional cost no extra void time.

Option Three: Install room appropriate floor coverings throughout i.e. underlay, carpets, grippers, tiles. Average cost £1,900 inclusive of fitting. Gifted to tenant to maintain and manage. Additional void time required 1-2 days depending on size of property. Financial

Implications based on average re-lets per year and additional void time.

Option Four: As above in Option One and Option Two, however would be offered to tenant as a chargeable item, repayable by instalments. Financial Implications additional void time and administrative burden of managing repayments.

Option	Safety and Quality	Neighbourhood and Community	Tenure	Financial
Option One				None
Option Two
Option Three
Option Four

4. Asbestos Removal

Current Position: NYC remove ACMs in void properties that are identified as “remove” due to damage/condition, all properties have an R&D survey carried out prior to any work starting.

Proposed Policy: All empty properties will have a Refurbishment and Demolition survey carried out by the council’s approved contactor and any necessary removals undertaken during the void period by a licensed asbestos removal contractor in accordance with the Control of Asbestos Regulations (CAR) 2012 and following Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance.

Any materials which contain asbestos, and which do not pose a risk will be notified to the tenant at start of the tenancy

Best Practice: There is an argument that all ACM’s will have to be removed in the future and if we do this work at void it will be safer for the tenant.

Decent Homes 2: Further consultation is expected to take place in 2025 with the focus being narrower than previously anticipated, looking at safety and security.

Option One: Remove asbestos as identified through R&D survey as REMOVE only.

Option Two: Remove all asbestos identified through R&D survey as REMOVE, MANAGE and ENCAPSULATE – average cost £6,166 inclusive of VAT. Financial Implications on additional void time on average would be an additional 2 days but would need to be modelled on the benefit of not managing known asbestos on an ongoing basis.

Option	Safety and Quality	Neighbourhood and Community	Tenure	Financial
Option One				None
Option Two

5. Adaptations

Current Position: NYC does not remove adaptations unless deemed unsafe or not fit for purpose to the property.

Proposed Policy: Continue to manage/clean existing adaptations for the incoming tenant unless a specific Occupational Therapy assessment has been carried out for the intended new tenant.

Best Practice Examples: Leeds City Council try to match tenants to properties with suitable adaptations. JRFT and Thirteen both remove adaptations if the tenant doesn’t need them i.e. stairlifts but would leave grab rails in situ.

Decent Homes 2: Not currently within the consultation document on Decent Homes 2.

Option One: Continue with current policy position on adaptations, leaving adaptations in situ.

Option Two: Begin to build some predictive adaptations into the Lettable Standard. For instance, installing level access showers in all properties designated for older people. There would be some additional cost in terms of the preparatory work to install level access showers (drainage and specialised flooring), an estimated £6000 per bathroom versus a standard £2000 bathroom suite and an additional void time of no additional time as this work should sit within the void target categories. Financial Implications are additional void time and increased cost of initial outlay however, this would need to be modelled against the cost benefit of installing measures i.e. How many bathrooms have been removed/ replaced with low level access showers soon after letting.[VY2]

Option	Safety and Quality	Neighbourhood and Community	Tenure	Financial
Option One				None
Option Two

6. Void Re-let Times

Current Position:

CAT1: Routine repairs only – 9 working days turnaround time

CAT2: Routine repairs and 1 x Upgrade/Replacement works operation – 22 working day turnaround time

CAT3: Routine repairs and 2 x Upgrade/Replacement works operation – 35 working day turnaround time

CAT4: Routine repairs and 3+ Upgrade/Replacement works operation. Also includes meter renewals/replacements - 45 working day turnaround time

CAT5: Buybacks and properties requiring adaptation works will be monitored.

Proposed Policy: To reduce the number of void categories from five to three and report according to calendar days in line with the normal reporting of Repairs. These will be:

CAT 1: Minor void work – including safety checks, i.e. asbestos, gas, electric, water, decorations, and minor routine repair work. - 15 calendar days (11 working days) *.

CAT 2: Major void work - including internal upgrades i.e. new kitchen, bathroom, rewire, heating system – 36 calendar days (25 working days)*.

CAT 3: Major Plus void work – Building fabrication upgrades/changes including retrofit i.e. window renewal, roof renewal, alternative heating systems (i.e. Oil to Air Source Heat or Electrical Heating) extensive damp proof and insulation work. Buy Back properties and properties requiring adaptation work. – 70 calendar days (50 working days)*.

*The days indicated could be subject to change depending on some of the policy decisions taken above.

Best Practice: The Council benchmarks some performance indicators against national peers through Housemark. Although major works void times have not been collated here, we can see that nationally in Q4 2023-24 the median time voids were empty due to major works was 106 days, across 136 social landlords who contributed data. To fall in the fastest quartile, the Council would need to turn around voids with major works in under 75 days on average, which the proposed timescales above reflect.

Option One: Continue with current policy position, keeping a five tier repair classification system.

Option Two: New void categories will allow for properties to be clearly identified at survey stage between Minor, Major, Major Plus enabling with a reduction from five to three distinct categories with the Major Plus category aligning with Programmed and Planned work identified within our Repairs Standard.