Rejection of renovation offer leaves homes in disrepair

THOUSANDS OF council properties in Sheffield are not up to standard because tenants refused to have their kitchens and bathrooms refurbished for free.

During the 2000s, 39,000 council properties were refurbished to bring them up to good living standards set by the Government as part of the Decent Homes programme.

Houses, maisonettes and flats were given new kitchens, bathrooms, windows, doors, heating and electrics.

But hundreds of tenants turned down the work, which has left 2,932 properties in disrepair.

Sheffield City Council officers say the properties will not meet the minimum Decent Homes standards by 2026. A further 467 properties need new windows and doors to keep them warm and reduce future maintenance costs. Another 552 empty properties also need work to make them good quality homes. The council is hoping to re- engage with those tenants who did not want the work doing.

Coun Paul Wood, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “The council takes the quality of our social housing very seriously but tenants declined the work for a number of reasons including the inconvenience, because they had done their own improvements and because they were satisfied with the property at that time.

“Some works were not completed under the Decent Homes programme but this was the wish of the residents. Over the past few years some of these properties now require additional work to ensure the standards are maintained and we will deliver that for our tenants to ensure we have the best possible maintained stock in the UK.” The council is looking for a contractor to deliver the work over an initial three- year period.