Our commitment to providing safe and well‑maintained homes

We work proactively to ensure all our homes are safe, comfortable and well‑maintained. Our programme of regular inspections, testing and repairs helps us keep your building in good condition and ensures it meets all safety standards.

Your tenancy agreement explains the responsibilities we hold and those that sit with you as a resident. These can vary depending on the type of agreement you have with us, so it’s important to check the details.

For more information, please refer to the below sections. 

To keep your home safe, comfortable, and looking its best, we regularly check the condition of its key parts.

At least every five years, we carry out a survey to see what needs replacing and when.

Typical elements include:

  • Roofs: usually replaced after around 50 years, or sooner if needed

  • Windows: replaced after about 30 years, depending on the condition

  • Kitchens: replaced roughly every 20 years, based on wear and age

  • Bathrooms: usually refreshed after about 30 years, or sooner if needed

  • Main entrance doors: typically replaced around every 30 years, depending on condition.

Our goal is to plan these improvements carefully so your home stays safe, energy-efficient, and enjoyable to live in — without unnecessary disruption.

The Decent Homes Standard sets the minimum quality for social housing.

It requires homes to meet four key criteria:

  • Current statutory minimum housing standards
  • Be in a reasonable state of repair
  • Reasonably modern facilities and services
  • Provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort (warmth).

This standard applies to all social landlords. We regularly monitor properties to make sure they meet the national target.

 

We aim to provide residents with homes that are safe, comfortable and well-maintained. 

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require us to carry out a yearly gas safety check of all domestic gas appliances in properties where we have this responsibility. 

During our visit, the engineer will also test your smoke detection devices and ensure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm. Because we're legally obliged to annually inspect and service all gas appliances in your home, you must give us prompt access to do these inspections and any repairs.

Failure to grant reasonable access is a breach of your tenancy agreement, and we may have to take legal action to gain entry to your home.

To keep you and your home safe, please do not use or store paraffin heaters, mobile gas heaters, gas cylinders or any containers of petrol or paraffin.

All homes with shared communal areas have a fire risk assessment undertaken either on an annual or two-yearly basis.

This is in line with the requirements set out in the Fire Safety Act 2021 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

To see a copy of the most recent fire risk assessment for where you live, or if you have any queries or concerns, please get in touch.

Emh has a partnership with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, which allows us to consult with them on all fire safety issues. Their advice helps us to manage fire safety in all our buildings and promote a positive fire safety culture.

For homes built before 2000 (when the use of asbestos was banned), we have an annual programme of asbestos surveys.  

This ensures we meets our legal obligations under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. 

For information about any asbestos relating to your home, please contact us.

If you are aware of any asbestos or believe that its condition has deteriorated, please report this immediately and we will send a surveyor to assess the risk.

We conduct Legionella risk assessments for all relevant properties every six years, and review these every two years.

Regular checks ensure we comply with safety regulations to keep your home safe.

If  you use your taps regularly so that water is running through the system, you are at very low risk of Legionella.

If you have any concerns about your home's water system, please get in touch.

We're required to ensure that all lifts used to carry people are thoroughly inspected every six months. 

If you have any concerns about a lift in your building, please contact us.

Planned replacements
To keep your home safe, comfortable, and looking its best, we regularly check the condition of its key parts.

At least every five years, we carry out a survey to see what needs replacing and when.

Typical elements include:

  • Roofs: usually replaced after around 50 years, or sooner if needed

  • Windows: replaced after about 30 years, depending on the condition

  • Kitchens: replaced roughly every 20 years, based on wear and age

  • Bathrooms: usually refreshed after about 30 years, or sooner if needed

  • Main entrance doors: typically replaced around every 30 years, depending on condition.

Our goal is to plan these improvements carefully so your home stays safe, energy-efficient, and enjoyable to live in — without unnecessary disruption.

Decent Homes Standard
The Decent Homes Standard sets the minimum quality for social housing.

It requires homes to meet four key criteria:

  • Current statutory minimum housing standards
  • Be in a reasonable state of repair
  • Reasonably modern facilities and services
  • Provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort (warmth).

This standard applies to all social landlords. We regularly monitor properties to make sure they meet the national target.

 

Gas safety checks
We aim to provide residents with homes that are safe, comfortable and well-maintained. 

The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 require us to carry out a yearly gas safety check of all domestic gas appliances in properties where we have this responsibility. 

During our visit, the engineer will also test your smoke detection devices and ensure you have a working carbon monoxide alarm. Because we're legally obliged to annually inspect and service all gas appliances in your home, you must give us prompt access to do these inspections and any repairs.

Failure to grant reasonable access is a breach of your tenancy agreement, and we may have to take legal action to gain entry to your home.

To keep you and your home safe, please do not use or store paraffin heaters, mobile gas heaters, gas cylinders or any containers of petrol or paraffin.

Fire safety checks
All homes with shared communal areas have a fire risk assessment undertaken either on an annual or two-yearly basis.

This is in line with the requirements set out in the Fire Safety Act 2021 and The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. 

To see a copy of the most recent fire risk assessment for where you live, or if you have any queries or concerns, please get in touch.

Emh has a partnership with Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service, which allows us to consult with them on all fire safety issues. Their advice helps us to manage fire safety in all our buildings and promote a positive fire safety culture.

Asbestos safety checks
For homes built before 2000 (when the use of asbestos was banned), we have an annual programme of asbestos surveys.  

This ensures we meets our legal obligations under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. 

For information about any asbestos relating to your home, please contact us.

If you are aware of any asbestos or believe that its condition has deteriorated, please report this immediately and we will send a surveyor to assess the risk.

Water safety checks
We conduct Legionella risk assessments for all relevant properties every six years, and review these every two years.

Regular checks ensure we comply with safety regulations to keep your home safe.

If  you use your taps regularly so that water is running through the system, you are at very low risk of Legionella.

If you have any concerns about your home's water system, please get in touch.

Lift safety checks
We're required to ensure that all lifts used to carry people are thoroughly inspected every six months. 

If you have any concerns about a lift in your building, please contact us.