On 2 July 2025 a Consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes was opened which will consider the deceny standards for social and privated rented sector and will close on 10 September 2025
The Government feel the DHS in its current form no longer reflects the present-day needs of tenants or landlords and it is falling short when it comes to addressing fundamental problems with our social housing stock. For these reasons and more, it needs to be modernised.
It also needs to be expanded because when it comes to quality and safety, transformational and lasting change cannot be confined only to those in social rented homes. Regardless of who is your landlord, there should be a universally accepted and understood minimum standard of safe and decent housing for all tenants and landlords across the country. That is why the Renters’ Rights Bill extends the DHS to the PRS for the first time.
The proposals in this consultation are designed to ensure that all tenants feel safe, secure and proud of their homes and that all landlords have a clear understanding of the standards they are expected to uphold. We appreciate fully that the latter want as much certainty as possible in order to plan for the future. That is why they are consulting on these changes at the same time as providing clarity and certainty on future regulation on quality and safety and grant funding support for Registered Providers.
The consultation also calls for views on:
a) a proposal to introduce best practice guidance to sit alongside the DHS, including information to landlords on some of the ways in which they could choose to go further than the minimum standard set by the DHS
b) a proposal that the DHS becomes an enforceable requirement in privately rented homes from 2035 or 2037, and a regulatory requirement in social housing from 2035 or 2037
c) proposals for how regulatory and enforcing bodies should engage with landlords who are unable to meet the DHS for reasons relating to the property, their tenants, or the landlords
Awaab’s Law will apply to the social rented sector in phases from October 2025. They also intend to consult on extending its application to the private rented sector. In parallel, and are consulting on requiring all rented properties to meet EPC C by 2030.
Together, these reforms are expected to deliver meaningful improvements in safety and energy efficiency for tenants across both sectors. However, they will also place significant new obligations on landlords. In this context, they are proposing that the updated DHS be brought into force in each tenure in either 2035 or 2037.
Click here to read the consultation proposals in full and click here to complete the consultation