A recent report has highlighted the desperate need to transform the state of the nation’s housing, and has called for a cross-government housing strategy. With approximately 2,000,000 homes now posing serious risks to the health and safety of their residents; failure to act is likely to lead to serious health consequences, including an increase of avoidable deaths this winter…

The Good Home Inquiry

With poor quality housing having a negative impact on residents (and the potential to disrupt entire communities); the link between accommodation and our health has now been further highlighted in an alarming study, which has suggested that one in ten homes contain a ‘category 1 hazard’. The homes that fall within this bracket are of such poor quality that they put their residents’ health or safety at risk.

The report has called for the government to take immediate action on this urgent situation, recommending the creation of a ‘Good Home Agency’ in local areas, to financially support and provide information to tenants and residents to enable them to carry out the repairs they need to stay safe.

Message from David Orr; Chair of the Good Home Inquiry

The inquiry, which was carried out with the intention of investigating and addressing the poor-quality housing crisis in the UK has spurred David Orr to issue the following statement:

“The scourge of low-quality housing is an injustice that nobody should be forced to suffer and yet it is the norm for millions of people in England. Today, two million homes across the country are such poor-quality that they pose a risk to the health or safety of the people living in them.

“We have the oldest homes in Europe, and amongst the poorest-quality. This crisis is not new – and the fact that the problem has never been properly addressed should be a source of national embarrassment.

“With cold homes killing thousands each year and the UK struggling to meet its net zero commitments, now is the time for an urgent and co-ordinated effort to bring our homes up to scratch, make them energy-efficient and cheap to heat, and ensure they are able to meet the needs of an ageing population.

“Doing nothing is no longer an option. This report, the product of a year-long inquiry into the causes of this crisis and possible solutions, lays out the scale of the challenge and what must be done to fix it. The prize is great: for individuals, our economy, and our international obligations on climate change. We hope this report is the starting gun for lasting change.”

A Now or Never Moment to Transform Low-Quality Housing

The need to provide an urgent solution to address health inequalities and the uk’s housing crisis has never been greater. 17,000 people died in their homes in 2018 due to an inability to afford adequate heating – and the situation now is far worse. Energy efficiency, therefore, must be made a priority. With over 55’s at the highest risk; we need to ensure that homes for the most vulnerable are made safe for all.

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Assist Inventories work with letting agents and landlords of all sizes, as well as housing associations, councils, and property developers. So if you are on the hunt for property inventory services for a buy-to-let or investment property then talk to us today. Are you a letting agent? You can access a discounted price list here.