Private housing

Disruption to Council services

Find out how the current bad weather is affecting Council services.

This section contains information for homeowners, landlords and private tenants. Our main duty to private sector housing is to ensure that everyone lives in accommodation that is well maintained, safe, and warm.

Waltham Forest Private Sector Stock Condition Survey

The Council conducted a private sector stock condition survey in 2011, to provide an overview of the housing situation in Waltham Forest, looking at the standards of housing stock condition in terms of disrepair, unfitness, energy efficiency, decency, and severity of hazards. You can download the full report below:

Private Sector Stock Condition Survey June 2011 (1.66MB PDF file)

Private Sector Housing Renewal Assistance Policy

The Council’s Private Sector Housing Renewal Assistance Policy sets out available assistance for residents living in poor condition housing in the borough. Click here to download a copy of the policy (125KB PDF file)

Click here to download the draft summary of the Private Sector Housing Renewal Assistance Policy (18KB PDF file)

Decent homes
A ten-year local and central government target to improve the quality of all social housing
Private Sector Leasing
Leasing housing from the private sector to provide accommodation to people in housing need
HouseProud equity release
An easy way to get repairs, improvements and adaptations carried out to your home
Keeping warm in winter
Helping to make cold houses warmer, and to save energy
Landlord accreditation
Waltham Forest Council have signed up to a new London-wide scheme to improve the standard private rented accommodation
Private empty properties
Tackling the issue of empty properties, by encouraging owners to bring their properties back into use.
Business Empty Property grant
Grants to convert floors above shops to residential properties.

Warm Front grant

Warm Front is a government-funded scheme which provides a grant of up to £2,700 (or £4,000 if oil central heating is recommended) to make your home warmer and more energy efficient. The grant is provided to people with the greatest health risk, such as older people and those with children under 16, people who are disabled or have a long-term illness and people who are on certain benefits. The grant can provide a package of insulation and heating tailored to each property.

For more information please telephone (free phone) 0800 316 6011.

Insulation works

Waltham Forest has been working in partnership with HEET to offer Energy Efficiency and remedial repairs to residents including:

Loft / boiler / pipe insulation
Cavity wall insulation
Draught proofing to windows and doors; and
Some Heating measures

For more information telephone HEET on 020 8520 1900.

Fire Safety in your home

Many fires in the home are caused by a single moment of carelessness and could be easily prevented. It is important to be aware of possible fire hazards around the home and to take steps to protect you and your family from fire.

For information and advice about fire safety in your home please visit the DirectGov website.

Energy advice and assistance

The North East London Energy efficiency Advice Centre, situated at 31 Church Hill E17, provides a one-stop energy efficiency service for residents. They offer:

Home Energy Checks – by filling in a questionnaire residents will receive tailored advice about how to save energy in their homes and also receive free low-energy bulbs
Advice – residents can visit the centre, telephone or request a home visit
Grants – In partnership with Waltham Forest, NELEEAC are able to offer a limited number of grants to residents of up to £2,000 towards the cost of central heating installation and other measures

For more information call (free phone) 0800 458 7107.

Residential energy advice notes

Advice notes have been prepared to help residents identify cost effective ways to improve the energy efficiency in their homes. See residential energy advice notes.

Energy saving tips

Turning your thermostat down by 1ºC could cut your heating bills by up to 10 per cent
Always turn off the lights when you leave a room
Ensure taps are turned off – in one-week a dripping tap wastes enough hot water to fill a bath!
Only boil as much water as you need
Replace light bulbs with energy saving ones – they last up to 12 times longer and save energy
Do not leave appliances on stand-by or on charge unnecessarily
Is your water too hot? Your cylinder thermostat should not be set higher than 60ºC/140ºF
Draw your curtains at dusk to stop heat escaping!