The Renters' Reform Coalition (RRC) has responded to a government announcement today (28 January) that private landlords will not be required to meet the Decent Homes Standard until 2035.
According to the most recent English Housing Survey, 21% of rented homes fail to meet the Decent Homes Standard. This has changed little in recent years, with 22.8% of rented homes non-decent in 2020. The government announcement - their response to a consultation on the Decent Homes Standard - means that landlords will not be required to bring properties up to scratch within the current or next parliament.
The RRC condemned the government's decision as giving landlords "a green light to continue profiting from rotten homes."
Paul Shanks, Press Officer at the RRC, said:
"A fifth of rented homes in England fail to meet the government's Decent Homes Standard. A range of issues, from damp and mould to faulty boilers and broken windows, blight the lives of millions of renters, many of whom pay through the nose for the privilege.
"It is obvious that until the law forces them to, many landlords will refuse to address these problems - as they have for years. The government's lack of urgency gives those landlords a green light to continue profiting from rotten homes, and will have real consequences for the health and wellbeing of millions of tenants. We're asking the government to bring the timeline forward - renters cannot afford to wait a decade for these basic protections."
Notes:
- The government response to the consultation can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-reformed-….
- The government have also published a policy statement: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-reformed-…