Revealed: how often are landlords really surveying the condition of their housing stock?

Partial surveys

Some councils which do partial surveys say they are confident about the condition of their homes because they collect data in other ways, such as via repairs and maintenance programmes and void inspections. Some say the costs of surveying every home outweighs the benefits, while one says they do not want to disrupt residents’ lives unnecessarily. 

Paul Price, chief executive of the Association of Retained Council Housing (ARCH), says: “Clearly 100% full stock surveys are going to be the most accurate measure of stock condition.” 

But he says factors such as the accuracy of repairs recording, resident-generated repairs reporting systems, and typologies of stock will influence the frequency and depth of surveys.

“If you have a uniform stock typology in a specific area – the properties on a road or in a block are identical and were unmodified on the last survey – certain assumptions can be made about the condition of the stock,” Mr Price says. 

Councils and ALMOs which do full surveys, either one every few years or rolling programmes, say that they are essential when it comes to effective strategic asset management, identifying disrepair and planning for net zero.

One director of asset management at a large ALMO which has recently moved from a partial to a 100% five-year rolling programme, explains the decision. 

“Lack of data – it’s as simple as that. If we’ve got the stock condition [data], it allows us to plan more medium and long term. It’s important that we are able to make those informed decisions going forward and we’re targeting correct investment in the right areas,” he says. 

He says stock surveys are “key” for identifying issues with disrepair. 

“As part of the investment proposal, they are the first things that we challenge. If there are damp, mould, trip hazards, Category 1 hazards that come in, we react to them immediately and put works on the system for them to be done,” he says. 

That view is what prompted Lewisham Homes to attempt a full survey of its properties in 2019-20.

“We felt that we really needed to understand what our stock is like. We needed to understand how much it’s going to cost to maintain it in the future, to understand which [of our assets] are performing well and which ones are going to cost a lot of money,” Ms Dodwell tells Inside Housing. 

Lewisham Homes says it will also use the data it collected to speed up repairs to windows and doors in homes with low energy efficiency ratings ahead of winter.

“Those properties might not be down to get a repair for two years, but that means two winters in a cost of living and energy crisis,” says Sarah Willcox-Jones, director of repairs at the ALMO.

The cost of a full survey is not cheap. Ms Dodwell says it cost Lewisham Homes hundreds of thousands of pounds. She argues that if this then means the organisation can be more proactive in its approach to repairs, “it saves money in the longer term”.

“If we’ve got the stock condition [data], it allows us to plan more medium and long term. It’s important that we are able to make those informed decisions going forward”

North London ALMO Barnet Homes is currently doing a full survey ahead of moving to a five-year rolling programme for its 15,000 homes. Tim Mulvenna, its chief executive, says making long-term assumptions around stock investment has a big impact on the viability of “stretched” Housing Revenue Accounts (HRAs). 

“We knew that we needed to make sure the HRA is viable, to make sure that the money we’re setting aside for planning works is the right amount of money. 

“It’s clearly an investment to do constant stock condition surveys… but it’s worth it when you’re putting together multimillion-pound tenders to have the right data,” he says. 

For South Derbyshire Council, which uses a five-year programme to survey its 3,000 homes, retrofitting is the main driver. 

Paul Whittingham, head of housing services at the local authority, says: “What our experience in the past two years has taught us with retrofit is basically that the traditional stock condition surveys really are not fit for purpose.”

The council was awarded £1.1m in the first wave of the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF).

Mr Whittingham says it became clear during the application process that stock data needs to be far more robust than traditional surveys would collect. 

“What we’re learning is that actually to do the retrofit stuff properly, we’re going to have to get our heads around doing some more intrusive surveys.  

“It’s going to be much more about ventilation, thermal efficiency, carbon footprint.

“It is quite a challenge. Other things like fixtures and fittings, kitchens, bathrooms etc can quite conceivably start to look a bit like second place behind all that stuff,” he says. 

When surveying properties, for example, the council found that some homes it believed to have cavity insulation had none at all when they drilled through the walls. 

Mr Whittingham says: “You should be properly surveying your property once every five years. 

“But that survey has got to look a bit different to what we’ve done up to now.”

Horror stories like that of Mehdi Sheikh demonstrate why all social landlords need to ask themselves if they are sure their data really allows them be confident about the living conditions in their homes.

An East Devon District Council spokesperson said: “East Devon District Council has recently started a full stock condition survey which will encompass 100 per cent of the housing services’ property portfolio over the next 12 months. This includes 4,200 homes, plus other buildings, such as shops, garages, offices etc.

“Following this complex piece of work, we will be delivering this service in house on a rolling basis that will see surveys carried out in 20 per cent of the properties per annum, to ensure our stock data is always up to date.

“The survey will assist us in making appropriate decisions regarding the upgrading and retrofitting of our properties for all our tenants, and enable us to make the best possible use of resources.”

Frances Umeh, cabinet member for housing and homelessness at Hammersmith & Fulham, said: “We need to understand the condition of our homes, both inside and out. 

“That’s why we’re surveying every home we own over the next two years. Along with new energy and safety assessments, this will give us quality data to help accurately plan our £1m-a-week modernisation and refurbishment programme.

“We’re determined to future-proof our existing homes for generations by enhancing safety measures, reducing the use of carbon and installing insulation to tackle fuel poverty, improving our repairs service, and increasing our resilience to climate change.”

A spokesperson for Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: “Our housing stock condition surveys are conducted by Unitas. 

“Unitas is the council’s dedicated repairs and maintenance company that oversees the efficient maintenance of all housing stock owned by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

“From 2018, full internal and external SCSs have been carried out by a team of in-house asset surveyors – there is a five-year rolling programme where c3,500 each year are surveyed and the asset management database updated.  

“So at the end of each five-year ‘cycle’, all 100% of properties have been surveyed. The programme then repeats and rolls on.”

Clare Golby, portfolio holder for housing and communities at Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, said: “Like most housing providers, we conduct stock condition surveys on a proportion of our stock, internal and external, in a given year.

“In this way we are able to update our stock condition information on a rolling basis.

“We are, however, currently producing a specification for a full survey of our stock to be carried out in the next 12 months.”

A spokesperson for Wandsworth Council said: “As part of the council’s plan to green-up council homes, published 21 January 2022, Wandsworth is looking at a long-term plan to upgrade council house heating systems and make them more energy efficient. 

“Part of this has included developing a long-term retrofit plan. Council properties will be surveyed to check what condition they are in and what needs to be done to meet the targets set out in the Wandsworth Environment and Sustainability Strategy.

“The council is currently undertaking a stock condition survey. The results and data are due to be back in early 2023. 

“The information gathered from the stock condition survey of a 10% sample of tenanted homes (internal) and a 20% sample of blocks (external) will provide an indication of stock condition across the borough and identify dwellings which may be suitable for further evaluation/assessment/survey for retrofit improvements. 

“The sample approach is correct where you have large numbers of tenanted blocks that are identical in terms of age, design and build.

“Future stock condition surveys will be carried out at a frequency to be discussed, subject to a range of other factors.”

A spokesperson for Broxtowe Council said: “We agree that a full 100% stock condition survey would be beneficial.  

“That said, we have a rolling programme of works that are ongoing on a yearly basis.”

A spokesperson for Gateshead Council said: “Stock condition is a critically important dataset for an organisation in terms of business planning, investment, performance and viability decisions. 

“But it must be maintained to ensure that its data value and accuracy are upheld.

“Gateshead has adopted the approach of a rolling programme of stock condition surveys that will see properties revisited on a roughly five-year inspection cycle. 

“We anticipate all stock will be surveyed by the end of 2023. This will be achieved using an internal surveying resource.

“The use of partial datasets or cloning can provide a valuable insight into the performance and condition of a housing portfolio, particularly when combined with the analysis of other datasets, including repairs and maintenance performance. 

“However, we appreciate that property conditions can vary greatly due social, economic and geographical factors. For this reason, Gateshead Council has decided to opt for collecting 100% stock condition and maintaining that through regular updating and reinspection.”

An Ealing Council spokesperson said: “Our stock condition surveys look at 20% of our homes each time, on a rolling programme. 

“All examples of the different types and locations of the homes we let are included in the surveys, to ensure they are representative both in terms of property types and the geography of the borough.”

A Gosport Borough Council spokesperson said: “Gosport Borough Council uses every opportunity to gain data on the condition of its stock through repairs visits, void inspections, Energy Performance Certificate surveys and planned works surveys, not just relying on partial surveys. 

“Using this approach gives the council confidence that it has broad knowledge of its housing stock condition.”

A Charnwood Borough Council spokesperson said: “We are committed to providing the best possible homes for our tenants and we monitor the condition of our housing stock in a number of ways.

“We survey all of our housing stock for compliance issues relating to gas and electricity. We also undertake a sample survey of our stock on a regular basis. When a property is void, a full survey of the property is undertaken by the in-house team.”

A Dover Council spokesperson said: “We do recognise the importance of housing stock data, and continue to look into appropriate ways to obtain an accurate snapshot of our stock, to help shape future maintenance moving forward. 

“Management of our housing stock was taken back in house in October 2020, and like other councils, we have faced challenges of accessing homes through the pandemic.  

“Like all housing providers, we also have to strike a careful balance between undertaking sufficient surveys and avoiding unnecessary disruption to the lives of tenants.

“There are advantages and disadvantages to both periodic partial surveys and rolling surveys. 

“We are currently exploring a blended approach that identifies the archetypes that comprise the stock, commissions a full conditions survey for a statistically significant sample of each archetype and uses these ‘beacon’ properties to inform planned maintenance and enhancement programmes.”

Charlotte Cordingley, director of housing, property and corporate assets at Wigan Council, said: “By grouping properties in their architectural type and carrying out a survey on 10% of each group, we are able to carry out a systematic check of our housing stock in a cost-effective and efficient way.

“This ensures we have a representative picture of its condition and allows us to model what future works and investment will be needed.

“While this sample gives us an overview of our housing stock, we also have a dedicated repairs service which carries out repairs that are reported by our tenants and provides an inspection service to investigate and resolve complex issues.”

An Islington Council spokesperson said: “Islington Council is committed to creating a more equal borough, where everyone has a place to call home that is secure, decent and genuinely affordable.   

“As part of this, Islington Council operates a ‘rolling’ principle to keep stock condition surveys up to date. This operates as follows:  

• When major works are completed, the council updates building components and life cycles accordingly in its stock condition survey database.   
• The council visits properties seven years after works are complete to see when works are again required. Properties are generally reviewed again during the 10th year.   
• The council updates records based on updates from its repairs services, such as voids, servicing contracts and boiler renewals.   
• All of the above data is put into the council’s SAP [Standard Assessment Procedure] calculator, and sent for third-party validation.  
• The council is currently reviewing its tall blocks, in line with building safety case principles.   

“The council feels that this constant updating of data provides accurate information on the council’s full housing stock, and negates the need for large stock condition surveys.  

“Earlier this year, the management of approximately 4,000 homes previously managed by [HA] Partners for Improvement came back in-house. The council did a 100% external and 50% internal stock condition survey of all street properties returning from Partners.”

A spokesperson for Hinckley and Bosworth Council said: “The council maintains a good record of its stock condition data on the ‘Promaster’ stock condition database to manage the dwelling stock asset base.

“The stock condition database is populated with data from a stock condition survey commissioned in 2016, which surveyed 20% of all stock. This has since been updated in an opportunistic and periodic manner. 

“Further review of stock data was commissioned in 2020 and work continues to ensure that comprehensive asset information is held and reviewed on an ongoing basis. 

“Good systems are in place to ensure that stock condition data is updated as works to properties are completed. 

“As yearly planned programmes of work are completed, the asset management software is automatically updated via an interface with the housing management system in order to provide an accurate renewal date of key components.  

“This stock condition updating feature is one that many social landlords struggle to achieve, but a feature that has been in place in Hinckley and Bosworth for a number of years. 

“Further confidence in stock data is ensured via the decent homes report produced on 1 April each year. This affords an opportunity to further scrutinise and rectify any information that is considered to be inaccurate.

“These and other measures ensure that we have a robust, up-to-date stock condition data to help plan our future investment priorities.”

Connie Hockley, executive member for housing at Fareham Borough Council, said: “The council has aspirations to complete a 100% survey of its stock over time, and anticipates a further 20% survey within the next two years. 

“Generally, the council uses surveyed and extrapolated data to programme works and maintains good living standards. This data is backed up by regular validation surveys, undertaken by our surveyors, to reduce inherent risks prior to contracting works.”

A Southampton City Council spokesperson said: “Southampton City Council aims to complete a five-year rolling stock conditions survey, where resources permit. 

“Stock condition information is captured using internal resources supported by external consultants and includes surveying both the external and the internal condition of dwellings. Southampton City Council uses cloned and partial surveys.”

Steve Waddington, strategic director for housing at Hackney Council, said: “We recognise the importance of understanding the condition of our housing stock to enable effective investment decisions to be taken. 

“While the cyber attack in 2020 has impacted how we collect our data, we are currently in the process of procuring a new stock condition survey.”

A Crawley Council spokesperson said: “Our current conditions survey method is still to carry out partial stock surveys. 

“These are carried out to all void properties and each time a surveyor makes a visit for routine maintenance (ie voids, kitchens, bathrooms, roofing, major works, damp surveys etc). 

“This equates to approximately 15% of the stock being surveyed each year, which we feel represents a good mix across all the stock and gives adequate, accurate survey data.

“However, we are currently in the process of installing a new housing, repairs and asset management database, and we will be reviewing our asset management plans when we go live later in the year. 

“That may lead to a change in our thinking with regards to asset surveys, but will be dependent on the outcome of our asset management plan review.”

David Langhorne, assets and development director at Your Homes Newcastle, said: “We are committed to making sure the council’s housing stock is evaluated so that homes are suitable for customers. 

“In 2013, we completed the Modern Homes Programme, and since then we have continued to update stock condition surveys when work is completed either through a planned programme or when elements are replaced through repairs and maintenance.”

Paul Honeywood, cabinet member for housing at Tendring District Council (TDC), said a full stock condition was only of limited use but the condition of properties was known through the regular inspection and maintenance regime – as well as through work to look at carbon reduction across the portfolio.

“A full stock condition survey only provides a snapshot of information on our housing stock, which is not an effective use of our time and resources. 

“We hold a variety of data built up from regular and routine visits to our properties – such as for gas safety checks, alarm maintenance and checks, or for checking empty homes – which provides a much better picture of the state of our portfolio than a one-off check.

“We have allocated funding to carry out a further, archetype-based stock survey in the coming year to ensure we understand any potential risks and requirements around the types of properties we own, and will of course continue with our responsive checks and maintenance to ensure the ongoing high quality of housing for our tenants.

“All of this is in addition to the work we do to ensure quality within the private sector too, recognising the importance of good housing to wider health and quality of life outcomes.”

The council said a survey of council tenants conducted in autumn 2021 found 84% of residents were very or fairly satisfied with the quality of their home and 83% were similarly satisfied with repairs and maintenance, while overall satisfaction with the service provided by TDC as a landlord was 86%.

Stephen Conway, executive member for housing at Wokingham Council, said: “We decided to do a full survey of all of our housing stock as we hadn’t done a full survey in a number of years and as we are creating a new database of our housing, this gives us up-to-date information on all our stock to start the new database with. 

“We are also doing energy surveys of all our housing properties at the same time, looking to reduce the carbon footprint of our housing.

“We started the programme last year and so far we have surveyed 1,853 of our rental houses and flats, 139 of our sheltered accommodation flats, and 229 flats and houses owned by our local housing company. We anticipate finishing the surveys this September.”

John Smart, project officer for the stock condition survey at South Kesteven Council, said: “I can confirm that the survey was a full 100% stock condition survey and the benefits are that all our data is accurate for project plans rather than ‘assumed’, which can cause issues in the future/middle of a project.”

A St Albans City and District Council spokesperson said: “The benefits are a more complete dataset to help produce short, medium and long-term asset management plans, including scope of works and joined-up strategies. 

“They also provide relevant and accurate data to help with energy strategies.”

A Darlington Council spokesperson said: “We have always successfully done partial surveys on a periodic basis and properties are carefully selected for each survey so they accurately reflect the condition of our stock.  

“We undertake routine stock condition checks on an ongoing basis to ensure the quality of data is accurate.  

“We acknowledge there are risks in doing this, but due to the work carried out to target appropriate reflective properties of the whole housing stock, the percentage identified is a suitable sample size, supported by the ongoing review.  

“However in acknowledgement of those risks, we are looking to introduce a 100% stock survey continuous rolling programme.”

Ian Gardner, director or property services at Wolverhampton Homes, said: “The previous major Decent Homes investment programmes delivered by Wolverhampton Homes did provide assurance regarding the company’s baseline position and there has also been investment in new asset management systems to enhance the accuracy of future scenario modelling and data management.

“Wolverhampton Homes will be launching a full stock condition validation survey over the next five years, and subject to the findings of this five-year programme, the company may consider moving to a 100% stock inspection programme over a rolling 10-year cycle, or a variable cycle based on archetype.”

A Barking and Dagenham Council spokesperson said: “To ensure the council’s stock condition information is up to date, we are moving towards a five-year rolling survey programme so that 20% of the stock is surveyed annually, rather than undertaking a single full stock survey every five years.

“We’ve found undertaking 100% stock condition surveys at any one time presents challenges in terms of potential disruption to tenants, and in our case, 80% of our residential stock has already received internal works such as new kitchens, bathrooms and boilers over the past 10 years.

“The five-year rolling programme also gives us a more current view of our residential stock, which better informs our approach to maintaining properties through our Stock Investment Programme, and helps us to efficiently identify where energy-related improvements might be required.”

A Lambeth Council spokesperson said: “Lambeth has more than 33,000 council homes and our priority is ensuring all of these are safe and well-maintained for our tenants. 

“Over the past 12 years, we have seen significant cuts in government funding, the withdrawal of Decent Homes grant funding and enforced rent reductions, which have reduced the amount the council is able to borrow to fund refurbishment or retrofit.

“But we have invested hundreds of millions of pounds in improving our council homes and estates in recent years, in line with the Lambeth Housing Standard.

“Lambeth commenced our stock condition surveys on 9 May and, by 5 August, we had completed approximately 5,000 surveys. We have a target to undertake 13,000 actual surveys by the end of December this year.

“The surveys will not use cloned data; these are on-site surveys. The information obtained will assist Lambeth in producing its asset management strategy and investment requirements for our housing stock.”

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