For years, the Decent Homes Standard applied only to social housing. That is about to change. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 (c. 26), which comes into force on 1 May 2026, extends the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector for the first time. This is one of the most significant changes in the Act, and every private landlord needs to understand what it means for them.
What Is the Decent Homes Standard?
The Decent Homes Standard was originally introduced in 2000 as a target for social housing providers. It sets a baseline for the condition of residential properties, ensuring that tenants live in homes that are safe, warm, and in reasonable repair. Until now, private landlords have not been subject to this standard. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 already required private rented properties to be fit for habitation, and the Housing Act 2004 introduced the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) for assessing hazards. But the Decent Homes Standard goes further by setting specific, measurable criteria that a property must meet.
The Four Criteria
A property meets the Decent Homes Standard if it satisfies all four of the following criteria.
Criterion A: Meets the Statutory Minimum
The property must be free from any Category 1 hazard as assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) set out in the Housing Act 2004. Category 1 hazards are the most serious, covering risks such as excess cold, falls on stairs, damp and mould growth, fire, and structural collapse. If your property has a Category 1 hazard, it fails this criterion and does not meet the standard.
Criterion B: Reasonable State of Repair
The key building components must be in a reasonable state of repair. Key components include the roof, walls, windows, doors, plumbing, electrics, and heating system. A component that is old but still functioning adequately may be acceptable. A component that is failing or has failed is not. The assessment looks at the age and condition of these components relative to their expected lifespan.
Criterion C: Reasonably Modern Facilities and Services
The property must have reasonably modern facilities and services. This includes a kitchen that is less than 20 years old with adequate space and layout, a bathroom that is less than 30 years old and in reasonable condition, adequate noise insulation, and adequate size and layout of common areas in houses of multiple occupation. A property does not fail this criterion if it lacks one of the listed amenities, but it will fail if it lacks three or more.
Criterion D: Reasonable Thermal Comfort
The property must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort. This means it must have both effective insulation and efficient heating. A property with a modern boiler but no loft insulation may fail this criterion. Similarly, a well-insulated property with an ancient, inefficient heating system may not meet the standard. In practice, this criterion overlaps significantly with EPC requirements, and properties that meet the minimum EPC rating of E are likely to satisfy this criterion, though the two assessments are technically separate.
How Will It Be Enforced?
Local authorities will be responsible for enforcing the Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector. They will have the power to inspect properties, issue improvement notices, and take enforcement action against landlords whose properties fail to meet the standard. The Housing Act 2004 already gives local authorities significant powers to deal with housing hazards, and the extension of the Decent Homes Standard provides an additional framework for holding landlords to account. Under the RRA, civil penalties for housing offences are set at up to 7,000 pounds for an initial or minor breach and up to 40,000 pounds for serious, persistent, or repeat breaches.
Timeline and How to Prepare
The Renters' Rights Act establishes the legal framework, but the detailed regulations on assessment and enforcement are expected to follow in secondary legislation. The government has indicated a reasonable transition period. However, you should not wait. Start by assessing your property against the four criteria. Walk through and consider whether there are serious hazards, whether key components are in good repair, whether facilities are reasonably modern, and whether heating and insulation are adequate. If you have doubts, commission a professional HHSRS assessment. Address obvious issues now, particularly Category 1 hazards and inadequate heating. Early action will spread the cost and avoid enforcement.
Take Action
Do not wait for enforcement to catch up with you. Generate your complete landlord document pack and make sure your compliance paperwork is ready for the Renters' Rights Act.
For a full overview of your obligations, read our Landlord Compliance Checklist for 2026 or take the free RRA Compliance Checker to see where you stand today.