English Housing Survey (EHS)

Development of methodology, surveyor training, analysis and reporting

BRE have been responsible for large parts of the English Housing Survey (EHS) since it began in 1967. Today the Housing Centre at BRE delivers the following services to the survey:

• Methodological development
  • Development of the survey forms to meet the changing needs of our government client Communities and Local Government (CLG)
  • In recent years this has included major redesign to include the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.  The Centre is also responsible for developing and maintaining complex cost and energy efficiency models which are central to the analysis of the data.
• Data collection systems
  • BRE has developed a bespoke system of automated electronic data processing which uses Anoto digital pen and paper technology.  The system includes software to transfer data to remote servers and a comprehensive validation system which provides surveyors with feedback on data issues through a web based survey management system.
• Surveyor training
  • Briefing of new surveyors and existing surveyors.
  • Only highly experienced surveyors are used on the survey.  All surveyors new to the survey undergo an intensive week long briefing on what is a highly specialised survey method which includes practical surveying exercises.  Once a year annual refresher briefings keep surveyors up to date with any changes in the methodology and help to calibrate surveyor performance.
• Analysis and reporting
  • Analysis of data and production of written reports.  Key tasks include running the complex cost and energy models and the production of composite variables such as the Decent Homes Standard.  Housing Centre staff also make a major contribution to the annual reports (available from the CLG)

The English House Condition Survey (EHCS) became the English Housing Survey (EHS) in April 2008, following the merging of the EHCS with the Survey of English Housing (SEH).