Investing in homes - planned improvements

Updated: 12 December 2024

Planned improvements, are scheduled each year.

In 2023/24, we spent £26.7m modernising and improving homes, communal areas and residential blocks, installing:

• 345 new bathrooms
• 620 new kitchens
• 740 new boilers/central heating systems
• 378 new doors
• 292 new homes windows
• 378 new roofs
• 940 electrical rewires
• 33k new alarms, including smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, heat detectors, and combined carbon monoxide/heat detectors.

Looking ahead to 2025/26, we will continue to invest to improve Torus homes.

In addition to our continued investment in kitchens, bathrooms, heating, windows, doors, and roofs we also take on and deliver a range of projects across our heartlands, like making buildings more efficient, improving or replacing communal facilities, external works to improve the appearance of homes, waste management improvements to reduce fly-tipping and increase recycling, and improvements to reduce the likelihood of anti-social behaviour.

How often can I expect home improvements?

Every year we look at the age and condition of our properties and put together a programme of major replacements or repairs.  These can include:

• Kitchens and bathrooms
• Boilers and heating systems
• Windows, doors and roofs
• External painting…and more.

Each of these items has a typical life cycle which is either the manufacturers suggestion, or a technical estimate based on how elements have lasted historically  - we assess how long each part of your home should last on average so we know how when it would be due for replacing or refurbishing.

The table gives you an idea of when we might replace the main elements of your home:

If we’re planning improvements in your area, we’ll let you know well in advance and try to fit in with your work and family commitments.

We know major repairs can be a big upheaval but it’s worth it in the end.

If you don’t let us make essential property checks, we won’t carry out any planned repairs to your property. Work would be suspended until you let us complete our property condition surveys.

How planned improvement projects work

If we’re planning to improve your home in the next 12 months, we’ll contact you in advance and let you know our proposal and to answer any queries or concerns you have about the proposed work.

If you’re a leaseholder we have a legal requirement to consult with you about the extent of the work, the likely cost involved, the proposed contractors, we will discuss this all with you.

Your Tenant Liaison Officer will visit you beforehand to answer any questions, discuss any special needs you have and let you know when the work will be carried out. They’ll also contact you periodically during the works to make sure everything is going smoothly and answer any additional questions or concerns you might have.

You may not get the same work completed as your neighbours, as works vary from home to home according to age, condition and design changes.

If something in your home needs to be repaired, you can request a repair, find out how to report a repair here.

Find out more in the Planned improvements FAQs.