Improving your home

Why we’ve commissioned these reports

The council has asked property and construction consultancy Ridge and Partners to conduct detailed surveys of seven high-rise (8 storeys or more) residential blocks in the borough to help us develop an investment strategy for these homes. 

The investment strategy will set out what work needs to happen now and in the future to ensure the homes within the building meet healthy and safety requirements, and are of a decent standard. 

The 7 blocks include: 

• 1-66 Beech House, CR0 9DY
• 1-87 Belgrave Road, SE25 5AL 
• 1-68 Cedar House, CR0 0SH
• 1-44 Grosvenor Road, SE25 5AW
• 1-87 Regina Road, SE25 4TW
• 2-56a Regina Road, SE25 4TT
• 58-108a Regina Road, SE25 4TT

These blocks were chosen as a sample of the 28 high-rise residential blocks in the borough. The findings from the surveys will help us assess and decide how to improve the remaining 21 blocks. The detailed surveys of the three Regina Road blocks are available at the bottom of this page. The other surveys will be available once the work is finished. 

Why councils carry out these checks 

It is the council’s legal responsibility as a social landlord to ensure that the homes we provide to the residents in the borough are of a decent standard, and meet health and safety regulations. A “decent” home is one that meets the four criteria in the Government’s Decent Homes Standard. The criteria states that the home must: 

• Meet the current statutory minimum standard for housing 
• Must be in a reasonable state of repair 
• Must have reasonably modern facilities and services 
• Must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort 

Homes must also be free of certain environmental hazards where there would be a serious and immediate risk to a tenant’s health and safety. 

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 also requires us to conduct and regularly review fire risk assessments of non-domestic (communal) parts of residential high-rise blocks. 

Further information regarding the Government’s Decent Homes Standard.

How to read the reports 

The surveys contain a lot of information so we recommend you begin by reading the Executive Summary in each of the reports, which sets out to what extent homes in the seven high-rise blocs can be considered “decent”, based on the Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Ridge & Partners has determined that none of the seven high-rise blocks require vacating and decanting 

Other findings, such as the visible structure of the block, condition of the roof, external walls, windows and doors, potential risks and hazards to health and safety across the blocks, and potential outstanding fire safety works can be found in the conclusion/recommendations sections at the end of the reports.

Summary of findings 

Residents can be assured that Ridge and Partners has confirmed that it is safe for residents to continue to live in all seven high-rise blocks that were surveyed. 

The surveys did reveal some areas where fire safety works are required, and these are detailed within the reports for each building. 

We are working with our contractors to ensure any potential fire safety works are completed as quickly as possible and we will be contacting you with information about how and when this will happen. 

If you have any questions regarding the findings of the report, please contact hsg-stockinvestment@croydon.gov.uk.