Most Australian dwellings were reported to be in good condition in the 1999 Australian Housing Survey, with the majority of households (80%) reporting no major structural problems. For those with problems, cracks in walls or floors were the most often reported (by 473,300 or 7% of households). Other problems were sinking or moving foundations (5%), rising damp (4%) and walls or windows out of plumb (4%) (table 8.2).
Some 43% of households reported that repairs were required to the inside of their home and a similar proportion (45%) reported that repairs were required to the outside of the dwelling. However, of these, almost two-thirds reported the repair to be desirable but low need.
8.2 ALL HOUSEHOLDS, By dwelling structure and physical condition - 1999
|
 | | Separate house | Semidetached | Flat | Total(a) |
| Physical condition | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
| Major structural problems | | | | |
| Rising damp | 218.5 | 42.5 | 46.2 | 308.3 |
| Major cracks in walls/floors | 345.6 | 51.0 | 74.1 | 473.3 |
| Sinking/moving foundations | 284.9 | 31.4 | 20.5 | 338.3 |
| Sagging floors | 200.2 | 23.2 | *9.4 | 235.8 |
| Walls/windows out of plumb | 234.2 | 27.1 | 35.1 | 298.4 |
| Wood rot/termite damage | 186.1 | 13.0 | 23.4 | 224.8 |
| Major electrical problems | 73.4 | *7.8 | 21.7 | 104.2 |
| Major plumbing problems | 168.5 | 25.0 | 55.2 | 249.3 |
| Major roof defect | 136.7 | 14.7 | 26.8 | 181.2 |
| Other problems | 84.7 | *8.0 | 25.7 | 121.0 |
| Not known | 61.7 | 12.7 | 25.2 | 99.6 |
| No major structural problems | 4,649.6 | 494.5 | 569.3 | 5,747.9 |
| Total(b) | 5,735.4 | 641.4 | 798.5 | 7,216.9 |
| Need for interior repairs | | | | |
| Essential and urgent need | 67.0 | *6.3 | 20.3 | 94.2 |
| Essential need | 172.2 | 26.8 | 37.6 | 239.6 |
| Moderate need | 642.8 | 66.3 | 111.8 | 825.3 |
| Desirable but low need | 1,611.4 | 153.2 | 205.8 | 1,980.1 |
| No need | 3,242.0 | 388.8 | 422.9 | 4,077.6 |
| Total | 5,735.4 | 641.4 | 798.5 | 7,216.9 |
| Need for exterior repairs | | | | |
| Essential and urgent need | 66.7 | *5.6 | *7.7 | 80.5 |
| Essential need | 206.5 | 17.1 | 27.2 | 253.3 |
| Moderate need | 721.3 | 59.3 | 102.6 | 888.6 |
| Desirable but low need | 1,657.1 | 144.9 | 185.3 | 1,993.7 |
| No need | 3,083.8 | 414.5 | 475.7 | 4,000.7 |
| Total | 5,735.4 | 641.4 | 798.5 | 7,216.9 |
|
(a) Includes other dwelling structure.
(b) Components do not add to total as more than one response is allowed. |
Source: Australian Housing Survey - Housing Characteristics, Costs and Conditions, 1999 (4182.0). |
Repairs and maintenance
Some 55% of households reported that repairs or maintenance had been carried out to their current dwelling within the last 12 months. The most commonly reported types of repair or maintenance were painting (31%), plumbing (24%) and electrical work (17%) (table 8.3).
8.3 ALL HOUSEHOLDS, By tenure and landlord type and repairs/maintenance - 1999
|
| Owner | Renter | | | |
|
|
| | | |
| Without a
mortgage | With a
mortgage | State/territory housing authority | Private
landlord | Total
renters(a) | Rent
free | Other
tenure | Total |
| Type of repairs/maintenance in last 12 months | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 | '000 |
|
| Painting | 835.7 | 912.9 | 93.2 | 327.7 | 452.0 | 31.5 | 27.0 | 2,259.1 |
| Roof repair/maintenance | 355.5 | 256.1 | 25.4 | 121.7 | 161.3 | 16.4 | 8.4 | 797.6 |
| Tile repair/replacement | 145.1 | 179.5 | 23.7 | 84.3 | 115.7 | *6.6 | 5.8 | 452.7 |
| Electrical work | 399.0 | 500.6 | 55.2 | 243.2 | 321.8 | 20.8 | 12.4 | 1,254.7 |
| Plumbing | 529.6 | 568.6 | 96.6 | 424.4 | 569.9 | 24.9 | 11.0 | 1,704.0 |
| Other | 226.4 | 257.0 | 59.9 | 190.0 | 268.9 | 11.9 | 8.8 | 773.0 |
| No repairs/maintenance(b) | 1,374.4 | 897.3 | 155.1 | 632.6 | 842.6 | 61.0 | 36.8 | 3,212.2 |
| Total(c) | 2,800.3 | 2,256.1 | 368.8 | 1,463.2 | 1,966.6 | 120.9 | 73.0 | 7,216.9 |
|
(a) Includes other landlord type.
(b) Includes households which did not know whether repairs/maintenance had been done.
(c) Components do not add to total as more than one response is allowed. |
Source: Australian Housing Survey - Housing Characteristics, Costs and Conditions, 1999 (4182.0). |
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