3.1 REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS TO HOMES

If the transfer goes ahead, your homes and the estate would benefit from a massive programme of repairs and improvements.

Within 4 years of transfer, THCH intends to spend at least £20million on your estate. Repairs and improvements would bring homes up to modern standards and make them more comfortable to live in. THCH will then provide programmed maintenance that will ensure that the properties remain in their improved condition for 30 years. Tenants' aspirations could change over the 4 year period so the works of repair and improvement proposed in this section are subject to detailed consultation with tenants and also subject to planning permission and other consents that may be needed.

The Council cannot afford this level of investment because of public sector borrowing rules.

Repairs

A major programme of repairs will bring all homes up to the Government's minimum standard which is also known as the Decent Homes Standard (see Section 3.5 for more details). In addition to these important repairs there would be a large programme of improvements.

Improvements

Tenants have said that kitchens and bathrooms are their priorities. So, all homes that need them would have:

• a new kitchen, with a choice of wall tiling colours, kitchen units and floor coverings;
• a new bathroom with mixer taps, tiled surrounds and a choice of floor coverings.

If individual tenants do not wish to have these improvements e they would not have to have the work done unless there are health and safety reasons for doing so, for example gas safety or water leaks.

The following pictures are examples of what the kitchens and bathrooms in the properties to be refurbished could look like, based on the refurbishment work that THCH have carried out in recent years on the Minerva Estate in Bethnal Green and the Barnardo Gardens Estate in Shadwell.

[insert pictures of kitchens/ bathrooms in refurbished properties.]

THCH also installed examples of the proposed new kitchens and bathrooms in a "Show-flat" which was set up in the OAP Club in Zander Court, which residents were invited to see during the two-week consultation event which took place in November.

If the transfer goes ahead, your homes and the estate would benefit from a massive programme of repairs and improvements.

Within 4 years of transfer, THCH intends to spend at least £20million on your estate. Repairs and improvements would bring homes up to modern standards and make them more comfortable to live in. THCH will then provide programmed maintenance that will ensure that the properties remain in their improved condition for 30 years. Tenants' aspirations could change over the 4 year period so the works of repair and improvement proposed in this section are subject to detailed consultation with tenants and also subject to planning permission and other consents that may be needed.

The Council cannot afford this level of investment.

Repairs

A major programme of repairs will bring all homes up to the Government's minimum standard which is also known as the Decent Homes Standard (see Section 3.5 for more details). In addition to these important repairs there would be a large programme of improvements.

Improvements

Tenants have said that kitchens and bathrooms are their priorities. So, all homes that need them would have:

• a new kitchen, with a choice of wall tiling colours, kitchen units and floor coverings;
• a new bathroom with mixer taps, tiled surrounds and a choice of floor coverings.

If individual tenants do not wish to have these improvements e they would not have to have the work e unless there are health and safety reasons for doing so.

The following pictures are examples of what the kitchens and bathrooms in the properties to be refurbished could look like, based on the refurbishment work that THCH have carried out in recent years on the Minerva Estate in Bethnal Green and the Barnardo Gardens Estate in Shadwell.