The Decent Homes Standard is not yet law for private renters in England as of June 2026. Here is what it covers and your options now if your home is unsafe.
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The Decent Homes Standard has been part of social housing law since 2006. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 gives the government the power to extend it to private rented homes in England, but as of June 2026 that power has not yet been used. This article explains what the Standard covers, why it matters even though it is not yet in force for private tenants, and what routes are available to you right now if your home is in poor condition.
What the Decent Homes Standard says
The Standard sets four conditions a home must meet.
1. Free from Category 1 hazards under HHSRS
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a scoring method used by councils to assess how dangerous conditions in a home are. Category 1 hazards are the most serious. They include severe damp and mould, excess cold, dangerous stairs or electrical faults, and similar risks. A decent home must have none of these.
2. In reasonable repair
The structure, exterior, and key services in the property must be in a reasonable state. Roofs, windows, gutters, and heating systems should be functional and maintained.
3. Modern facilities and services
The kitchen and bathroom should not be excessively old. There are specific age thresholds set in the guidance, though these have not been updated in some time.
4. Thermal comfort
The property should be capable of being heated to a reasonable temperature efficiently. This covers both the heating system itself and the insulation of the building.
Why the Standard does not yet apply to private landlords
The Renters Rights Act includes what is called an enabling power. This means Parliament has given the government the authority to make regulations applying the Standard to private rented homes, but those regulations have not been made yet. Until they are, the Standard is not enforceable against a private landlord directly. Do not assume your landlord is legally required to meet all four conditions simply because the Act has passed.
What Wales does differently
If you rent in Wales, the framework is different. The Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 introduced a concept called fitness for human habitation as a core term of every occupation contract. Section 91 of that Act sets out what "fit for human habitation" means in practice. Welsh landlords are therefore already under a duty that goes further than the position for private tenants in England at present.
What you can do now as a private tenant in England
Even without the Decent Homes Standard applying to your landlord, you are not without options.
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985
This is the basic repair obligation that applies to almost all residential tenancies. Your landlord must keep the structure and exterior of the property in repair, and must keep installations for water, gas, electricity, heating, and sanitation in working order. You must give the landlord notice of a problem before this duty bites; keeping a written record of when you reported each issue is essential.
Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
This Act gives you the right to take your landlord to the county court if your home is not fit for human habitation at the start of the tenancy or becomes unfit during it. The court can order the landlord to carry out works and can award you compensation. Unfitness is assessed using the HHSRS factors among others.
Requesting an HHSRS inspection from your council
Your local council's environmental health team has the power to carry out an HHSRS inspection. If they find a Category 1 hazard, they have a duty under the Housing Act 2004 to take action. That action can include serving an improvement notice on your landlord requiring the works to be done within a set timescale, or in serious cases taking emergency remedial action themselves. You do not need to go to court yourself to trigger this route; a complaint to environmental health is enough to start the process.
Keeping records
Whichever route you use, your evidence matters. Take dated photographs of any problems. Send all communications to your landlord in writing (email is fine). Keep copies of any responses. If you made a verbal report, follow it up in writing to create a paper trail.
What to expect when the Standard is extended
When the government does extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private sector, enforcement is expected to sit with local councils rather than individual tenants taking court action. The details will depend on the regulations when they are made. We will update this article when the position becomes clearer.
Need help?
If your home has serious repair problems and you are not sure which route to take, call us on 0800 030 4669. We can talk through what your landlord is obliged to do and help you decide on your next step.
Support For Tenants is a trading name of Cyntex Group Ltd, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a Claims Management Company. FRN 1020217. Registered in England and Wales.
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.
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