Wales fails to hit quality standard target
The Welsh Government has missed its target to improve the quality of social housing in Wales, with just a third of properties coming up to scratch.
Statistics released this week show that as of 31 March 2012, a total of 72,329 social housing dwellings – 33 per cent – were fully compliant with the Welsh Housing Quality Standard and a further 19,825 dwellings, 9 per cent, were compliant subject to small problems.
In 2002, ministers set a 10-year target to bring every home up to standard. This includes installing new kitchens and bathrooms and ensuring dwellings are in a good state of repair, fuel-efficient and well insulated.
Housing associations performed better than councils, with around 40 per cent of homes compliant with the standard, compared to around 22 per cent of local authority homes.
In July 2011, housing minister Huw Lewis said he expected around 78 per cent compliance by this year.
Peter Black, shadow housing minister, said: ‘It is very worrying how badly the Welsh Government has missed its own target. It means that thousands of tenants in social housing are living in poor standard accommodation, many suffering from damp and cold, others with poor standards in their kitchens and bathrooms.’
In May, the Welsh Government published a white paper which suggested moving the target for WHQS compliance to 2020.
