Decent homes and planned upgrades programme

As homes and their key features (such as kitchens, bathrooms, roofs, windows, and heating systems) get older, there comes a point when they need to be replaced rather than simply repaired. We manage this through our Planned Upgrades Programme.

This programme sets out what needs to be replaced and when. It is based on a combination of the age and condition of the different parts of our homes.

Our Stock Condition Surveyors inspect each of our homes at least once every five years. During these visits, they assess the condition of the major elements of your home, including:

• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Windows and external doors
• Heating systems, such as boilers
• Roofs and the overall structure of the property
• Any concerns that may require repairs or further investigation

Before your survey is due, we will contact you well in advance by letter. We will also follow up with emails, text messages, and phone calls to arrange a date and time that works for you.

As part of your tenancy agreement, you are required to provide access for these inspections. The information gathered is essential in helping Raven make informed decisions about future investment and improvement works.

The survey findings are combined with the information we already hold about the age of your home’s components. This helps us to:

• Meet our regulatory obligations by providing information to the regulator, including requirements relating to regulations such as Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law
• Identify and prioritise the planned upgrades needed each year
• Make sure our homes remain safe, comfortable, and well maintained for residents

When are planned upgrades due?

We hold information on each major component’s age and this informs our plan for when each should be replaced. It allows us to plan our major upgrading programme so our repairs team can organise their work schedules. We have a 30-year business plan, with a total budget of over £600m, to spend on major upgrades.

Each major part, as listed below, has a lifespan which helps us to work out when it will need upgrading – although these are only guidelines and are dependent on the actual condition.

*under review

If you’d like to arrange a survey to check the expected lifespan of the major parts in your home or would like to find out how old they are, please make a request through your MyRaven online account.

Make a request

We’re also committed to improving the energy and carbon performance of your home, therefore improving its affordability and lessening its environmental impact.