In 2000, the government made a commitment to bring all public
sector homes up to a decent standard, establishing a 10 year
target and an interim target to: "ensure that all social housing
meets set standards of decency by 2010, by reducing the number
of households living in social housing that does not meet these
standards by a third between 2001 and 2004, with most of the
improvement taking place in the most deprived local authority
areas". The Government has defined a Decent Home as: A Decent
Home must also meet the following criteria: • The current
statutory minimum standard for housing • Be in reasonable state
of repair • Have reasonably modern facilities and services •
Provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort So, what can
providers of social housing, Local Authorities, Housing
Associations and Arms Length Management Organisations do to
ensure their housing stock meet the Decent Homes Standard by
2010? They need to ensure all dwellings provide a reasonable
degree of thermal comfort. The Government