What do new Decent Homes Standard plans mean for me?
Plans for a new Decent Homes Standard and £40,000 fines for serious health hazards in privately rented properties have been announced by the Government, with a consultation now underway. James Kent, founder of NRLA compliance arm Safe2 and the association’s chief innovation officer explains more.
We have known about plans to introduce a Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for some time now.
The existing Decent Homes Standard, which currently only applies to social housing, will be abolished under the Renters’ Rights Bill, with a new set of rules applying to both the social and private rented sectors.
However, it is only in the last month or so that we have been given any detail on what this could look like.
While there are still some ambiguities – with some aspects likely to be affected by other legislation, such as the introduction of new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards – at present the proposition looks, on the whole, positive – with a timeframe of a decade giving reasonable time for necessary adjustments.
In what can only be described as a victory for common sense, the Government has made the decision to ditch an element of the existing standard that states all kitchens and bathrooms must be replaced once they reach a certain age – regardless of whether they are in good condition.
The NRLA has campaigned long and hard against this carrying over to the new rules, and we are delighted the Government has listened.
Of course, tenants deserve high quality, well-functioning kitchens and bathrooms, but an arbitrary ruling based solely on when they were installed would no doubt lead to good quality and hardwearing fixtures and fittings ripped out for no good reason – something which would serve neither landlord or tenant.
The other key changes outlined in the consultation are proposals that would make it mandatory to:
- Provide floor coverings such as carpets in every room at the start of a tenancy
- Meet new security standards when installing new windows and doors
- Install window restrictors – to help prevent accidental falls.
How will the new standard be measured?
Under the plans five main criteria will need to be met. For it to be deemed ‘Decent’ a home must:
- Be free from Category 1 hazards
- Be in a reasonable state of repair – with clear parameters laid out as to what this means
- Have reasonably modern facilities
- Meet new ‘thermal comfort requirements’ related to minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES)
- Be free of any damp or mould.
This final criterion is in addition to Awaab’s Law which will compel landlords to take action to tackle damp and mould within set timelines. This will be in force in the social sector from October this year and will be extended to the PRS under the Renters’ Rights Bill.
Damp and mould are complex challenges, with a range of causes from structural issues to how the building and ventilation mechanisms are used, and we will be making this clear in our official response.
Lead-in times
With suggested implementation dates of either 2035 or 2037, it is clear the Government understands the need for a transition period – a decision no doubt influenced by its MEES proposals, which will affect the new ‘thermal impact’ criteria.
We know that 79 per cent of private rented homes already meet the existing Decent Homes Standard, despite it not being legally binding on the sector – so the message we would give is that good landlords have nothing to fear from a Decent Homes Standard as outlined.
However, it does need to be properly enforced, or else it risks being meaningless.
We will engage proactively with Government throughout the consultation, stressing the need for effective and properly resourced enforcement by councils to tackle the minority of rogue and criminal landlords giving the sector a bad name.
You too can response to the consultation, which is being carried out by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to ensure your voice is heard.
The consultation will close at 11.45pm on 10th September and you can submit your response here.
More information
- When it comes to property standards Safe2 is the NRLA's one stop shop for all things compliance, allowing you to order any required safety certificate with just a click of a button. For more information click here.
- The NRLA's award-winning training academy offers a range of courses on safety and property standards, with a full list available here. There is also guidance on property standards in our resource centre.
- To help get ready for all the changes coming up under the new Renters' Rights Bill visit our exclusive member hub here, or why not take our Renters' Rights Bill training course to help you prepare.
