Housing Officers would observe the exterior of a property and note features which may give a clue to conditions within the dwelling, e.g. broken gutters, bridged damp proof course, broken gulleys, missing tiles or lead work, settlement, cracks etc. They are expected to assess all of the following elements in each room, i.e. state of repair, structural stability, dampness, ventilation, heating, facilities for the preparation and cooking of food. Definitions of what is considered to be "Poor Repair" may vary so when assessing yourself fairly, it is sometimes better to err on the side of caution