The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has conceded that there are "serious problems" with some of its accommodation for soldiers and their families.
However, it defended much of the housing as high quality and insisted that work was under way to improve sub-standard quarters.
Defence Minister Derek Twigg acknowledged that the accommodation was "not perfect", but insisted there was "a sustained programme of investment".
The admission came after the Army's personnel chief criticised the "poor standard" of some military housing and pledged to fight for better conditions.
He vowed to act after the BBC was sent photos of barracks and shower blocks with cracked walls, mildew and broken pipes.
The adjutant-general, Lt Gen Freddie Viggers, told the BBC: "The issue we have is that there is still too much accommodation which is of a poor standard, which is old, and which is not modern in the way it's fitted for families.
"It's one of the key issues for me in what we call the military covenant - giving our soldiers and their families what they deserve in return for that they do for us. So our duty now is to fight our corner in defence to get for our families what they deserve."
Lt Gen Viggers' comments are the latest salvo from military chiefs over the state of forces' housing. Last month General Sir Mike Jackson, former chief of the defence staff, branded the state of some barracks as "frankly shaming". And Major-General Richard Shirreff, commander of British forces in Iraq, called for better support at home for soldiers serving on the front-line.
A spokesman for the MoD said: "We accept there are serious problems with some service accommodation, but much of it is of a high quality. We are working hard to deal with that which isn't up to the high standards we set."
He stressed that 95% of military accommodation was rated "good or better", but added: "We accept that we need to deal with that which is sub-standard."
