Housing > Improvements and repairs >

Home improvements - home repair assistance grant

Home repair loans

Home repair loans are provided on a discretionary basis to help low income households pay for necessary repairs, improvements and adaptations.

The assistance takes the form of an interest-free loan. The amount paid will be registered as a local land charge on the property and will be subject to repayment when the home is sold or transferred to another owner.

Eligibility for assistance

Discretionary loans are restricted to:

1. Properties within the former SRB 6 Area. Bearpark, Bowburn, Brandon, Cassop, Esh Winning, Kelloe, Ludworth, New Brancepeth, Quarrington Hill, Sherburn Hill, Ushaw Moor and West Rainton

2. Home repair loans are available to owner occupiers and private tenants with a repairing obligation who are either registered disabled, aged 60 years or more, or, in receipt of an income related benefit which may include the following:

- Income Support or Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
- Working Families Tax Credit
- Disabled Persons Tax Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Council Tax Benefit

Qualifying works

At the discretion of the Council, home repair loans may be available to help remedy what the Council considers to be the most significant health and safety risks and may include the following:

- electrical rewiring or repairs to an electrical installation to reduce the risk of electrocution and/or fire

- repair or renewal of a boiler and other element of a heating or hot water system to reduce the risk of ill-health associated with living in a cold home or being without hot water

- repair or renewal of floors and staircases that are liable to collapse or otherwise present a significant risk to residents

- repair or renewal of the walls and ceilings that are liable to collapse

- repair or renewal of windows or doors that are so rotten or otherwise defective that they are liable to collapse or otherwise present a significant risk to residents

- repair or renewal of any building element causing significant rising or penetrating damp affecting the internal fabric of the building (damp proofing works must be accompanied by a thirty year minimum insurance underwritten guarantee)

- prevent ongoing and significant structural movement (in most cases this will be achieved by funding the 'excess' payment required for insurance works to proceed)

- provide adequate space and safe layout for the storage, preparation and cooking of food

- provide an adequate piped supply of wholesome water

- provide a bath/shower, wash-hand basin and toilet where current provision is absent or inadequate (for example if a property only has an outside toilet)

- provide adequate foul drainage where current provision is absent or inadequate

Amount of assistance payable

The maximum amount of loan payable is £5,000.

Although applicants are entitled to make more than one application, at least 3 months must normally elapse between each application and the maximum amount of home repair loans that can be paid in any 5 year period is £5,000.

Enquiries and applications should be made to the Durham and Chester-le-Street Care and Repair Agency. Telephone number 0191 3753690.

Back to Top

Other pages you may find useful

• Housing repairs - council property (PID 141)
• Disabled people - home adaptations and aids (PID 178)