Lettable standard for council homes
In Camden, we want everyone to have a place they are proud to call home.
Before moving into your new home, we work to make sure the property is safe, clean, and in a reasonable state of repair. This ‘lettable standard’ sets out what you, as a tenant, can expect when moving into your new home.
We aim to carry out all essential repairs before you move in. In cases where they are non-urgent, we may carry them out after.
Utilities
When we check your utilities we:
- test all electrical fittings and the gas supply to meet safety regulations
- assess whether there is asbestos in the home. Depending on its condition or location, we remove it or mark its presence and provide information on how to manage it
- check smoke and heat alarms and replace them where needed
- provide all relevant certificates
Outside the homes
When we check the space outside your home we:
- repair boundary fences and walls
- remove hazards from private gardens, including uneven pathways
- trim back private garden grass, shrubs and bushes
Roof or loft space
When we check the roof or loft space, we clear loft spaces. This is not a storage space.
Entrance doors and windows
When we check the doors and windows, we:
- change locks on all front doors and provide at least 3 keys for each home
- fit thumb-turn locks to all entrance doors to ensure they are secure
- complete a full service of windows and doors to make them safe and secure
- fit windows on the first floor and above with restrictors
- provide window lock keys, one key per room
Internal doors
When we check the internal doors, we:
- ease and adjust all internal doors
- replace any missing internal doors
- fit fire-grade doors where needed
- decorate any new doors
Interior walls and ceiling
When we check the interior walls and ceilings, we:
- ensure all walls and ceilings are safe and free from significant cracks
- clean all walls, skirting boards and sockets
- treat any damp and mould and leave surfaces ready for decoration
Bathroom
When we check the bathroom, we:
- ensure all bathrooms have fully functioning toilets, basins, and either a shower tray or a bath with plugs and chains fitted
- ensure bathrooms are leak-free and have free-flowing waste
- fit splash backs that are at least 3 tiles high
- secure sealant around baths, showers, and basins and replace bath panels if needed
- ensure all bathrooms and fittings are clean and free from builders' dust and significant limescale
- ensure bathroom fixtures and fittings are in working order although they may not match
Kitchen
When we check the kitchen, we:
- check that all plumbing connections and fittings are leak-free and enable free-flowing waste.
- check that worktops are in good condition - free from large chips or marks – and sealed where the worktop meets the wall and sink
- ensure wall units are at least 150mm back from the hob and cooker line
- ensure cookers have 300mm of work surface on either side to follow for pan handles and pot-stands
- check that all cupboards, drawers, and taps are fully functioning
- ensure that all kitchen units are clean and free from grease, dust or stains
- fit splash backs that are at least 2 tiles high
- ensure there are standard spaces for appliances with plumbing for washing machines and electric or gas points for cookers, subject to the kitchen design and the supply to the property
- ensure kitchen fixtures and fittings are in good working order although they may not match
Flooring
When we check the flooring, we:
- ensure all flooring is free from trip hazards
- provide slip-resistant vinyl in kitchens and bathrooms
- sweep all floors and where we have fitted vinyl in kitchens and bathrooms, this will be clean
Redecoration
When we check the redecoration, we:
- leave wall surfaces ready for decoration
- may issue decoration vouchers or carry our decoration works if the decoration is in very poor condition