LIVING in a comfortable, dry, well-maintained home is something many of us take for granted.

But not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to afford the upkeep of the houses in which they live. Many cannot afford to keep their homes in sound repair or carry out adaptation work.

Leaking roofs, faulty electrical wiring, ineffective heating and damp are among the many problems homeowners can face as their properties fall into disrepair.

For some, there is a solution, by way of a Bradford Council-run scheme that funds repairs for those with equity in their home. Those who own their house outright or who have a small mortgage, can benefit from the Home Appreciation Loan (HAL) that lends money with no monthly repayments attached.

Homeowners only have to repay the loan when they no longer own their property, such as when they sell it or die.

“The beauty is that it has no interest payments so it is Sharia compliant,” says David North, Bradford Council’s empty homes and loans manager.

Since the scheme began in 2005, 300 homes have been renovated this way, with more than £5million being spent, helping people who could not otherwise afford it or are not eligible for commercial loans.

A further three years of funding for the scheme - which offers loans of between £2,000 and £30,000, although occasionally this sum can be higher - has now been secured.

In the Bradford district 66 per cent of homes are owner occupied but 18 per cent - almost 31,000 properties - have a ‘category one’ or serious hazard which could affect the health or safety of occupants.

Category one hazards - including defective wiring, leaking roofs and damp, and less serious category two hazards were classified under the 2004 Housing Act.

“We have a list of 29 hazards that we assess as category one or two,” says David.

“If people have not got decent homes in which to live they become more vulnerable,” says Councillor Valerie Slater, deputy leader at Bradford Council with responsibility for health and wellbeing, including housing.

“A lot of older people, for instance, do not have the capital to have their houses rewired. It could be that the home has not got a proper heating system or there is no hand rail on the stairs - some terraced houses have very steep stairs and no rails.

“It is very difficult to estimate but poor housing is responsible for more than 1,600 harmful events requiring medical treatment and an estimated cost of around £6.6 million a year in Bradford.”

She adds: “Improving properties can also lead to older people living independently, in their own homes, for longer.”

Adds David: “If we can do something to prevent an elderly person falling down the stairs and having to visit hospital then that is good.”

The scheme has been supported by Bradford’s Public Health team, which is part of the Council, and works closely with its departments.

One Bradford home owner, aged 78, lived with his son, who had been hospitalised partly due to the poor condition of their house. Its defects included rotting windows and doors, a broken heating system, hazardous electrics, severe damp, and an inadequate kitchen and bathroom.

The transformation has transformed the man’s life, and has been “a life saver.”

“It is one of the best things that has happened to me,” he said.

Says David. “It has significantly improved his health and wellbeing.” The man regained self-esteem and plans to bring friends to the house.

It is important, says David, that the scheme is sustainable. “When a loan is repaid it is recycled back into helping someone else,” he says.

Certain boxes must be ticked in order for householders to qualify for a loan - they must live in their own home, have a low income or claiming means-tested benefits, and be unable to secure a loan or mortgage from a bank or building society.

For those on low incomes or benefits who are not eligible, help may be obtained by way of a Council means-tested grant.

The scheme can benefit householders of all ages. Says David: “Among those we help are young families, many who live in damp conditions with a lack of heating. Housing conditions can be linked to educational attainment - if you have a warm, comfortable house children are more likely to do well at school. Bringing houses up to scratch can improve people’s quality of life in many ways.”

*For more information on the Home Appreciation Loan visit bradford.gov.uk or call 01274 434520.