A HOUSING association that manages just over 4,000 homes in Worcestershire is on course to meet the Government's Decent Homes standard two years early.

The Decent Homes standard requires all councils and housing associations to bring their properties up to the Government's minimum standard by 2010.

According to this requirement, homes must be in a reasonable state of repair, be warm and have reasonable modern facilities and services, such as a kitchen that is no more than 20 years old, a bathroom that is no more than 30 years old and noise insulation.

Rooftop Housing Association says 86 per cent of its properties already meet the standard and it is planning spend of £6m on improvements over the next three years.

Ian Hughes, chief executive of Rooftop Housing Group, said: "I am delighted that we are ahead of the Government's deadline of 2010. We are committed to bring our homes up to the decent homes standard as soon as we can.

"Once we have achieved our target in 2008, we will improve our homes above and beyond Government standards."

decent homes standard. We pride ourselves on providing houses to build homes in and we want our residents to live in homes of the highest standard possible."