Our planned investment programme focuses on keeping your home safe, comfortable and in good condition. We prioritise work that improves safety, energy efficiency and the long-term quality of our homes. Wherever possible, we take a ‘fabric first’ approach by improving parts of the building such as roofs, windows and insulation. This can help homes retain heat, reduce energy use and prevent the need for more costly repairs later.

Our 30-year investment strategy sets out when we expect to replace major parts of our homes, in line with government guidance and legal requirements. By planning ahead, we can target investment where it is most needed and help keep homes safe, sustainable and well maintained.

Our planned maintenance programmes replace or improve parts of homes and communal areas when they need attention. This can include kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, windows and doors, heating systems, electrical systems and shared spaces. The work helps keep homes safe and comfortable, reduces the need for emergency repairs and extends the life of our buildings. Some improvements, such as energy-efficient heating, insulation and double-glazed windows, may also help reduce energy use. In communal areas, improvements funded through service charges may include better door-entry systems, lighting and accessibility. We will let you know in advance if planned work affects your home or building.

Number of homes receiving planned maintenance or component replacements

• We expect around 800 homes to receive planned maintenance or component replacement work during the 2026/27 financial year
• In 2024-25 we spent £4.5m on improving homes.  In 2025-26 we invested £5m
• You can see more in our 2024-25 Annual report to tenants here on page 4

Brighter Places start the financial year with a list of properties that could possibly require improvements under the decent homes scheme. These properties are included in the planned works investment programme and surveyed to confirm if works are required in the coming year.

We assess homes against the Decent Homes Standard by looking at both the expected life and the actual condition of key components. A component will not always need replacing simply because it has reached the end of its expected life. If it is safe, in good working order and has the required certification—for example, a Landlord Gas Safety Record (LGSR) or Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)—it may remain in place. This approach helps us plan investment carefully, provide value for money and keep your home safe and well maintained.

Stock condition survey

Stock condition surveys help us understand the age and condition of our homes and identify when work may be needed. We aim to survey around 20% of our homes each year so that all homes are covered over a five-year cycle. The information helps us plan future improvements, meet safety and quality standards and prioritise investment where it is needed most. It also helps us spot issues early, before they become more serious or expensive to fix.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) survey

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) shows how energy efficient your home is. During the survey, an assessor will look at things such as your heating, hot water, insulation, windows and lighting. They will not usually need to lift floorboards or make any holes.

Your home will receive a rating from A to G. A is the most energy efficient and G is the least. The EPC may also suggest ways the home could be improved, such as better insulation, more efficient heating or improved windows. These changes could help your home stay warmer and use less energy.

We use EPC information, together with other surveys, to help us decide which energy-efficiency improvements are most needed and plan future work. An EPC recommendation does not always mean the work will happen straight away. We will consider the condition of your home, the funding available and our planned programme of improvements. If we plan work that affects your home, we will contact you and explain what will happen.

If we need to carry out any type of survey we will contact you to arrange an appointment.  If your appointment date is not convenient, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can rearrange it with you.

Fire alarms

If you live in a block of flats and there is a fire alarm fitted, we carry out weekly testing to make sure the alarm system is working correctly. A qualified electrician will also service the fire alarm twice a year. This includes testing the fire alarm panel, call points, smoke and heat detectors and sounders in the communal area and your home.

Emergency lighting

If you live in a block of flats we test the emergency lighting once a month. A qualified electrician will also service the emergency lighting installation twice a year.

Asbestos inspection

We need to check whether there are any materials containing asbestos in the buildings we manage which were built, or converted, before 2000, to make sure we carry out work safely.

If we do find a material containing asbestos, our consultants will advise whether we need to remove the material, enclose it, or leave it and re-inspect it from time to time.

Materials containing asbestos are usually completely safe if they are sealed (painted over) and not disturbed in any way. Removing in these circumstances is not recommended.

Our first priority will always be your health and safety.  We will provide you with a copy of the report from the asbestos inspection.

Lifts

If you have a stair lift or through floor lift in your home and the service is not carried out by your local authority, we will arrange for the service and any repairs to be carried out.  We service stair lifts once a year and through floor lifts twice a year.

Water facilities

In some properties, we need to inspect the hot and cold water system installations to make sure that we manage the risk of legionella bacteria presenting a threat.  If you live in a home where this is a potential issue, we will carry out a legionella risk assessment inspection and will take samples of the water every year.  We will inspect the cold water tank and hot water tank every year and clean the water tank if this is necessary.