Russet celebrates reaching home improvement milestone

Published by Barbara H for Russet Homes in Housing and also in Communities, Environment, Health, Local Government

Russet celebrated reaching an important milestone with the completion of its Decent Homes Improvement programme in advance of the end of December 2010 deadline.

Part of Circle Anglia, Russet owns almost 7,000 properties making it the largest provider of affordable housing within Tonbridge and Malling.

The deadline, which each social housing landlord is expected to achieve, is to ensure all their properties meet the minimum Decent Homes standard. Russet has invested over £170 million since 1991 in customer’s homes to guarantee this standard has been met, and in many cases exceeded. 

“We want to celebrate this achievement” said Russet’s Managing Director Steve Woodcock.  ‘”This has been a huge investment and I’d like to thank all those who have been involved; customers, staff and our contractor partners - in particular Lakehouse, Swale Heating, Puffin Insulation and Mears.

“Customers have a right to a safe, warm and comfortable home.  All our housing investment programmes over the past 20 years have been directed at ensuring this. We have fitted replacement windows, doors, soffits and facias, boilers and new kitchens and bathrooms.  Last year we completed a programme to fit mains wired smoke alarms to all our properties and invested nearly £2 million in boiler care and replacement”

“Although achieving the Decent Homes standard is an important milestone, we’ve no intention of resting on our laurels.  Through regular stock condition surveys, we have long term plans to continue investing in our properties where the money is most needed, for example in new kitchens and bathrooms, boilers, and home insulation.”  

Residents will have an important voice in where the money is spent and in the New Year; Russet will be publishing draft programmes for 2011/12 for comment and feedback.