The decent home standard is a minimal criteria that all social rented homes have to obeyed by, these standards however are going to be introduced and reinforced into the private rented sector, within the UK. When the original consultation for the decent home standard was carried out, it showed that roughly 79% of private rental sector (PRS) homes met the standard, however that left 21% of the PRS that did not meet these standards. As the new laws from the Renters rights bill are introduced, this percentage of Landlords will need to invest into meeting this criteria. 

There are current criteria that make up the decent home standards. These being:

1. Ensure heating and thermal comfort. This means that all properties will need    adequate insulation and heating systems that are energy efficient.

2. State of repair. Every PRS homes structures such as their roof, chimneys, windows, doors etc. will need to be in a decent state of repair, all free from hazards.

3. Have reasonably modern facilities and services e.g a kitchen 20 years old or less with adequate space, a bathroom 30 or less years old.

4. Adequate insulation from outside noise. 

5. An appropriately located bathroom and wc. Meaning that the property must have a bathroom located not in a bedroom and must both be indoors. 

6. Address serious hazards. This includes tackling issues such as damp and mould, excess cold and risk of falls and trips. 

7. Conduct comprehensive property inspections. Start by assessing the properties condition in detail, this allows you to implement a proactive maintenance strategy. 

The English housing survey of 2022-2023 reported that for a landlord to bring their house up to a decent standard it would averagely cost £8,381. Although for many landlords this may seem like a large sum that they do not want to spend, these costs are becoming an absolute necessity. Under the renters rights act, any landlord that does not make these upgrades to their property, they will be faced with large fines of up to £40,000, or rent repayment orders that can be claimed back to 2 years rent. Landlords can even face criminal prosecution and potential landlord banning orders. Although these consequences may seem brutal to many, they're completely avoidable. 

The majority of landlords are supplying homes that meet these standards but for the array that are not, the government are increasing the powers of each council to help enforce the standard. 

Additional reads:

Landlords: why it’s crucial to conduct regular inspections:

Legal Compliance Requirements for All Landlords