AROUND one in every five States homes fails to meet the UK decent homes standards, it has been revealed.
Figures released this week show that 16 per cent – 712 – of the 4,452 States dwellings do not meet the most basic standards with which all UK council homes must comply by 2010.
These standards require that they are fit for habitation, are in a reasonable state of repair, have reasonably modern facilities and have central heating with temperature controls.
Carl Mavity, the director of estate services at Housing, said that he was satisfied that States homes were fit for living in and were wind- and weather-tight.
He added that most of the dwellings that failed did so on account of the age of their kitchens, because some bed-sits still had shared facilities such as bathrooms, or because their only heating source was a solid fuel fire.
*Picture: Housing Minister Terry Le Main with Mr Mavity
