Decent Homes Standard
A standard a home must meet: free of serious hazards, in reasonable repair, with reasonably modern facilities and warm. Applies to social housing; planned for private lets.
In short: The Decent Homes Standard sets a minimum condition for homes: no serious hazards, reasonable repair, reasonably modern kitchens and bathrooms, and adequate warmth. It applies to social housing. The Renters' Rights Act allows it to be applied to private lets; the Government's roadmap points to 2035 or 2037.
Repairs and standardsThe Renters’ Rights Act
England. Checked against the law on 5 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.
The four broad tests today:
- Free of the most serious (category 1) hazards.
- In a reasonable state of repair.
- Reasonably modern facilities and services.
- A reasonable degree of thermal comfort.
The Government has consulted on an updated standard for both social and private renting. Its implementation roadmap for the Renters' Rights Act says it would apply in 2035 or 2037, depending on the consultation. Councils would enforce it for private lets, with fines for landlords who do not meet it.
Nothing is required of private landlords under it yet, but it is useful when planning major works.
Related: HHSRS, Awaab's Law, Minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES)
Where this comes from
Guides on this
Guide
What changed for landlords on 1 May 2026
The Renters' Rights Act came into force in England on 1 May 2026. Section 21 is gone, every tenancy is now periodic, and rent rises follow one procedure. Here is what a self-managing landlord actually has to do differently.
Guide
What is the minimum EPC rating to let a home in England?
A home you let in England needs an EPC rated E or better, unless an exemption is on the PRS Exemptions Register. The planned rise to C from 1 October 2030 is government policy but still needs new law.
Template
The Renters' Rights Act Information Sheet 2026: a record that you gave it
Landlords in England had to give existing tenants the Government's Information Sheet 2026 by 31 May 2026, as the document itself and not a link. What it is, and a short note to record when and how each tenant got it.
Guide
The assured periodic tenancy explained
Every private tenancy in England is now an assured periodic tenancy. What that is, how it starts, how it ends, and what your agreement can and cannot say.
Related terms
Glossary
Awaab's Law
Rules setting fixed times for landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other serious hazards. In force for social housing; due to be extended to private lets.
Glossary
Category 1 hazard
The most serious level of hazard under the HHSRS. When a council finds one in a home, it must take enforcement action.
Glossary
EICR codes: C1, C2, C3 and FI
The codes an electrician uses on an EICR: C1 danger present, C2 potentially dangerous, FI further investigation needed, C3 improvement recommended.
Glossary
Fitness for human habitation
The legal requirement that a rented home is fit to live in at the start and throughout the tenancy, which tenants can enforce themselves in court.
Glossary
Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
The method councils in England use to assess hazards in homes, such as damp, cold, falls and fire, and decide whether to take action against the landlord.
Glossary
Improvement notice
A formal notice from the council requiring a landlord to carry out specified works to remove or reduce a hazard by set dates.