Continuing investment by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) has secured the organisation a considerable accolade.

Thanks to generally keeping on top of repairs and maintenance, the Housing Executive homes are by far the best in the UK, an expert report has indicated.

Savills property consultants said this week that a combination of newer buildings, traditional construction style and investment in environmental improvements are behind the good news.

"The NIHE stock is by far the best quality stock that we have surveyed," it said.

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"Setting aside financial considerations, the good quality of the stock and work that has been undertaken is indisputable."

Savills have undertaken the vast majority of stock condition surveys of local authorities and housing association properties throughout the UK in the last 10 years.

The authors said approximately 17% of the stock currently fails the standard.

"There is a variety of reasons for the failures but the most significant is a lack of an efficient heating system to many of the properties.

"NIHE is well aware of this and has, during the last five years, installed a large number of heating systems.

"That programme needs to continue in order to bring all properties up to the decent Homes Plus standard."

The good news comes at a cost however, as the report also identified a total price tag to maintain all 90,364 properties over the next 30 years as being £5.1 billion at a cost per unit of around £56,491.

(BMcC/JM)