Older properties put householders in fuel-poverty danger

The shock figures are thrown into relief by rocketing increases in home heating energy costs.

The cost of remedying "fuel poverty" in 2,500 private homes in Rother is put at 7m.

Ed Diment, service line manager (housing research) for Capital Project Consultancy Ltd. which has undertaken a 900-property stock condition survey of private properties for Rother District Council, told Monday's cabinet meeting that, this indicates that 12,500 homes could be "non-decent."

Of these, 4,190 could be occupied by householders classed as "vulnerable."

Councillor were told that the survey process had been delayed because so many home-owners had refused to take part.

Private sector house condition surveys are carried out every five years by local authorities. The picture obtained forms useful evidence for statistical returns and helps with strategic planning.

The last Rother survey in 2001 enabled the council to obtain 400,000 in additional Private Sector Renewal Funding to assist home-owners.

Mr Diment said the survey indicated that 33.8% of private-owned homes in Rother were "non-decent" compared with the national average of 27.1%.

He said the main reason was the high level of older properties in eastern Rother and the high proportion of properties in rural Rother without access to mains gas - reckoned to be the most efficient heating fuel.

He also warned that with its higher-than-average proportion of older people, more householders in Rother were considered to be vulnerable.

He explained to councillors that the classification system has been revised since the last survey, with a new emphasis on home heating and thermal insulation and introducing terms such as Category One Hazards.

The survey also looked as dangers such as steep or badly-lit staircases and absence of bannister rails.

Cllr Robin Patten asked what action the authority was supposed to take if a Category One Hazard was identified.

Rother private sector housing manager Mark Randolph said "If you contact us we have a range of enforcement measures."

Putting himself in the role of the owner of an unfit property, Cllr Patten asked: "Why am I going to do that? Why am I going to hand myself in; to force me to do something I can't afford...?"

He said he could understand why the survey was worthwhile. But so much of the report showed that in order for people living in older houses to obtain any benefit they themselves would have to come forward.

Rother head of housing Anne Fennessy told members: "There is not enough funding to go round. What we have to do is identify the problems and bid for as much money as we can and then direct the money at the most needy."

She said 260 high-priority households should be brought up to standard by the next review period in 2011.