With the recent announcement that the revised Decent Homes Standard for England will not mandate floor coverings in all rooms of social housing, Beauflor asks whether the provision of flooring for tenants should really be a postcode lottery.
While some forward-thinking social housing providers in England are including floor coverings throughout the homes they let, many others are still stripping out the attempts of previous tenants to improve the standard of their home and welcoming new tenants with bare floors. Unsurprisingly, these bare floors put tenants under financial strain to put right, or they are simply left living and sleeping in a home that has a negative impact on their well-being.
Yet with Beauflor sheet vinyl floors, many provider concerns around the affordability of flooring – to which the revisions conceded – can be answered, raising the quality of living for tenants and reducing the postcode lottery style provision they face today. It might even help providers end their ‘rip-out’ culture by eliminating hygiene and health and safety worries.
Beauflor has a wide range of sheet vinyl floors suitable for social housing. Cost-effective, simple and fast to install, as well as water-resistant and durable, these floors are commonly found in bathrooms and kitchens of social housing but are just as appropriate for bedrooms, living spaces and hallways.
Unlike commercial ‘compact’ grade sheet vinyl floors, Beauflor’s options have a comfortable foam or textile ‘cushion’ backing that not only feels soft underfoot but is warm and quiet too. These benefits help to create a more comfortable and supportive environment for tenants that’s more akin to living with carpet than hard and cold planks or tiles. A range of wood, tile and stone designs give an attractive, homely option for every room.
Thanks to the seamless, durable and easy to maintain finish they also give providers a lasting covering that’s easy to assess at changes of tenancy. Unlike carpets, which have largely contributed to the rip-out culture, a visual inspection is all that’s needed to highlight any damage or hygiene related issues. By using sheet vinyl it’s no longer necessary to rip-out perfectly good floorcoverings for fear of complaints. Additionally, floors are available with antibacterial treatments to inhibit mould growth, while PUR surface treatments improve resistance to stains and permanent marking.
When the time does come to replace floor coverings, in most rooms Beauflor sheet vinyl can be installed without glue onto a suitably prepared subfloor. And because no adhesive is used, they are easy to take up and replace and do not damage the subfloor, helping to cut-down on costly future remedial work. Eliminating adhesive and sheet vinyl’s ‘cut to fit’ nature make installation exceptionally quick, even in ‘complex’ bathrooms where sanitary ware, pipes and other obstacles need to be accommodated.
With a compelling number of advantages despite its cost-effective positioning, Beauflor sheet vinyl provides a realistic solution for providers to offer tenants a home with floor coverings in every room, and a start to end the postcode lottery of good quality homes for those most in need.
For more information, visit www.beauflor.com