The Decent Homes Standard sets the minimum condition for social rented homes in England. The 2006 version still applies through the Regulator of Social Housing's Safety and Quality Standard. A reformed standard with five criteria, A to E, must be met by all social and private rented homes by 2035 at the latest.
The Decent Homes Standard is the minimum condition standard for social rented homes in England. The 2006 version applies now, through the Regulator of Social Housing's Safety and Quality Standard. A reformed standard, with five criteria labelled A to E, must be met by all social and private rented homes by 2035 at the latest.
What does the current standard require?
Under the 2006 standard, a home is decent if it meets all four criteria:
| Criterion | What it means |
|---|---|
| (a) Statutory minimum | No Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) |
| (b) Reasonable repair | The home is in a reasonable state of repair |
| (c) Reasonably modern facilities | Fails if 3 or more of 6 facilities are missing, including a kitchen 20 years old or less and a bathroom 30 years old or less |
| (d) Thermal comfort | The home provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort |
Because criterion (c) uses age, many kitchen and bathroom programmes have been planned around install dates.
What changes under the reformed standard?
The government published its response to the consultation on 28 January 2026. All social and private rented homes must meet the reformed standard by 2035 at the latest. Detailed guidance is still to come.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| A | No Category 1 hazards |
| B | The home fails if 1 or more key components, or 2 or more other components, are not in reasonable repair. Age is no longer a test |
| C | Flats need 3 of 4 facilities and houses 2 of 3, plus child-resistant window restrictors where there is a fall risk |
| D | Meet the minimum energy efficiency standard, with heating distribution able to heat the whole home, and programmable heating |
| E | The home is free from damp and mould |
Key components include the kitchen, bathroom, windows, external doors, roof, electrics, heating, fire alarms and lifts. Treat the final list as subject to the detailed guidance.
Criterion A rests on the HHSRS, which was reformed from 23 June 2026 by the HHSRS (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026. Scoring was revised and the number of hazards cut from 29 to 21, so stock surveys should use the 2026 framework.
Why does condition, not age, now matter?
Under criterion B, a component passes or fails on whether it is in reasonable repair. A sound 25-year-old kitchen can pass, and a newer one in poor repair can fail. A single failing key component is enough to make the home non-decent.
That changes how you plan:
- Replacement priorities come from condition surveys, not install dates.
- Repairs and planned works need to share data, because a repair can take a key component back into reasonable repair.
- Programmes judged on age alone may replace sound components while missing failing ones.
What do restrictors, whole-home heating and damp and mould mean in practice?
- Window restrictors: criterion C requires child-resistant restrictors where there is a fall risk. Survey which windows need them, check existing restrictors work, and include them in window replacement and void specifications.
- Whole-home heating: criterion D needs heating distribution able to heat the whole home, plus programmable heating. Homes with rooms that have no heat emitter, or with missing or broken controls, will need work.
- Damp and mould: criterion E requires homes to be free from damp and mould. This links to Awaab's Law timescales and to fixing the cause rather than the symptom. See damp and mould root causes.
What is the energy standard for social homes?
Under the government's response, the Regulator of Social Housing will enforce the social-sector minimum energy efficiency standard through criterion D:
- By 1 April 2030: reach EPC C on any one of the reformed EPC metrics (fabric, smart readiness or heating).
- By 1 April 2039: reach C on a second metric.
- Spend exemption: £10,000 per metric, per property.
- Existing ratings: a current energy efficiency rating of C, reached before 2030 with a valid EPC, counts while that EPC is valid.
See whole-house retrofit and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund guide.
What does it mean for stock condition data and planned programmes?
The Safety and Quality Standard already requires an "accurate, up to date and evidenced understanding of the condition of their homes". That means property-level records based on a physical assessment of all homes.
For the reformed standard, your stock data will need to hold:
- the condition of each key and other component, not only its age;
- the facilities present, for criterion C;
- windows with a fall risk and whether restrictors are fitted;
- heating distribution room by room, and the controls fitted;
- damp and mould observations, with readings;
- EPC data on each reformed metric.
Planned programmes can then be built around condition. Likely work includes condition-led kitchen and bathroom replacement, restrictors fitted with window or void works, heating distribution upgrades alongside retrofit, and fabric repairs that remove damp. The TSM RP01 already reports homes that do not meet the standard. See stock condition and planned works and Tenant Satisfaction Measures.
Because the detailed guidance is not yet published, avoid fixing long-term specifications too early. Check the current guidance, or take advice, before committing to a programme.
What about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
The Decent Homes Standard applies in England. The other nations have their own standards:
- Wales: the Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023 applies from 1 April 2024, with all stock to comply by 31 March 2034. See Wales standards.
- Scotland: the Scottish Housing Quality Standard applies, and the energy standard EESSH2 is under review. Final decisions on a Social Housing Net Zero Standard are expected by spring 2027. See Scotland standards.
- Northern Ireland: the Department for Communities consulted on a revised Decent Homes Standard for social housing, closing 4 March 2026. No outcome had been confirmed when this guide was updated. See Northern Ireland standards.
For England, see England standards.
How we help
We deliver planned maintenance programmes, kitchen and bathroom replacement, window and restrictor works and heating upgrades, and we can record component condition as we go so your stock data stays current. Where a measure needs certified people, we confirm in writing, before appointment, who will carry out each measure and what certification they hold. Request a quote to discuss a programme.
Common questions
Will kitchens and bathrooms still be replaced by age?
Not under the reformed standard. Age is no longer a test, so a component passes or fails on whether it is in reasonable repair. Programmes will need condition data to set priorities.
Is there a floor coverings requirement in England?
No. The government response did not include a floor coverings mandate in the reformed standard.
What if reaching EPC C would cost too much?
The social-sector energy standard includes a spend exemption of £10,000 per metric per property. Check the detailed rules before relying on it for a specific home.
Has the detailed guidance for the reformed standard been published?
Not in full. The government set the 2035 deadline in its response of 28 January 2026, and detailed guidance is still to come.
Sources
- Reformed Decent Homes Standard: government response (MHCLG)
- A decent home: definition and guidance
- Improving the energy efficiency of socially rented homes in England: government response
- Safety and Quality Standard (Regulator of Social Housing)
- HHSRS (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026: UK Parliament procedure record
- Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023
Checked 31 October 2026. This guide summarises the rules for planning purposes and is not legal advice; check the current legislation or take advice for your own case.
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