The Decent Homes Standard for private landlords: what the five criteria mean and when they apply

For the first time, privately rented homes in England are due to be held to the Decent Homes Standard. Until now it has only applied to social housing. The government set out the new standard in a policy statement on GOV.UK in January 2026, and its consultation on extending Awaab's Law to private renters, announced on 8 October 2026, repeats the plan for the private rented sector: the standard is due to apply from 2035, subject to new legislation.

That is a long way off, but the standard covers things landlords deal with every day: hazards, repairs, kitchens and bathrooms, heating and damp. Here is what the policy statement says, in plain English.

When it applies

GOV.UK's policy statement says the new Decent Homes Standard is due to apply from 2035 to both the social and private rented sectors, subject to new legislation, and that this is when enforcement against it by local authority housing teams will begin. The energy efficiency part follows its own, earlier timetable (see criterion D below).

The Renters' Rights Act 2025 lets the government apply the standard to privately rented homes through regulations. The policy statement says the government will publish detailed guidance and bring forward the legislation and regulation needed. So the detail can still change, and the government also says landlords "should not delay all action until the end of the implementation period".

The five criteria

To be decent, the policy statement says a home must meet five criteria.

A. Free of the most dangerous hazards. The home must be free of "category 1" hazards, assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). This part already applies to privately rented homes today, under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004.

B. In a reasonable state of repair. A home fails if one or more key building components, or two or more other building components, are not in a reasonable state of repair. Key components include the wall structure, roof, windows, external doors, kitchen, bathroom, electrical system, heating system, fire alarm systems and internal doors. Other components include gutters and downpipes, handrails and stair treads, and door entry systems.

C. Core facilities and services. Flats must have at least 3, and houses at least 2, of these: a kitchen with adequate space and layout, an appropriately located bathroom and WC, adequate external noise insulation, and (for flats) adequate common entrance areas. Homes must also have child-resistant window restrictors, which an adult can override, on all windows that present a fall risk for children.

D. Thermal comfort. The home must provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort. The policy statement says the primary heating system must heat the whole home and be programmable by tenants, and homes must meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. For private landlords, that means EPC C or equivalent by a single deadline of 1 October 2030 for all private tenancies, unless a valid exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register. Our guides to the EPC C 2030 deadline and the cost cap and exemptions cover this part.

E. Free of damp and mould. Landlords should address damp and mould when tenants report it and take a proactive approach to prevention, following government guidance. Our damp and mould guide has practical steps.

Points that are easy to miss

• Kitchens and bathrooms are now key components. GOV.UK says that if the kitchen or bathroom is in disrepair, the property would fail the new standard. A kitchen fails if it needs major repairs or more than one of these needs replacing: cold water drinking supply, hot water, sink, cooking provision, cupboards and worktop. A bathroom fails on the same test for the bath or shower, wash hand basin and WC.
• Window restrictors. The policy statement treats a window as a fall risk to children if all of these apply: the change in floor level between inside and outside is more than 600mm, the window opens over 100mm, the guard height is under 1100mm above the internal floor, and there is no working restrictor.
• The electrical system. The policy statement's definition refers to the five yearly inspection and test, and says the system must not be dangerous, for example through broken casings, damaged sockets or exposed wiring. See EICRs explained.
• Fire alarm systems are listed as a key component too. Our guide to smoke and carbon monoxide alarm rules covers the current rules.

How it will be enforced

In the private rented sector, local authorities will enforce the standard. The policy statement says councils will have a duty to take enforcement action where there are criterion A failures (the most dangerous hazards), and a power, but not a duty, to act on the other criteria.

It also says the government will increase the maximum fine for not following council enforcement action from £30,000 to £40,000, and that, subject to secondary legislation, councils are intended to get a new power to issue immediate civil penalties of up to £7,000 for serious failures such as category 1 hazards, where the landlord has failed to take reasonably practicable steps. The government's intention is for that power to come in ahead of the full standard. Wider rules, such as electrical, fire and gas safety requirements, continue to apply.

Councils will take into account cases where parts of the standard cannot be met, such as where tenants refuse access, or where physical or planning factors prevent it.

How many homes it could affect

A GOV.UK English Housing Survey briefing modelled the new standard using 2023 data. It found that 21% of privately rented homes were non-decent under the existing standard, rising to 48% under the new one. That is a model of the housing stock, not a verdict on any one property.

What already applies today

The 2035 date does not change what landlords must do now. The policy statement says landlords must keep meeting their existing duties to keep homes in repair and fit for habitation, including Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Our guide to landlord repair responsibilities covers those. Awaab's Law is also due to be extended to private tenancies, and the government's consultation on how is open until 18 December 2026. See our post on the Awaab's Law consultation for private landlords.

Sensible steps now

These are practical tips rather than legal requirements:

• Walk each property against the five criteria at your next mid-tenancy inspection, and note the age and condition of the kitchen, bathroom, heating, windows and roof.
• Check windows upstairs against the restrictor test above.
• Plan bigger jobs over time, such as a kitchen, bathroom or boiler replacement, rather than leaving them all for later.
• Keep dated records of repairs, reports from tenants and what you did about them.

This is general information about a government policy statement, not legal advice about your own property. Check GOV.UK for the final rules and dates.

LandlordProof helps you organise your certificates, documents and reminders. Using it does not by itself meet your legal duties as a landlord, and it does not register you on the PRS database.

Sources: GOV.UK, The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement (MHCLG, updated 28 January 2026); GOV.UK, Extending Awaab's Law to private rented tenancies and to licences (consultation, 9 October 2026); GOV.UK, Clampdown on dangerous homes to protect more tenants and families (MHCLG, 8 October 2026); GOV.UK, EHS Briefing: Modelling a new Decent Homes Standard; House of Commons Library, Renters' reform in England: What's happening and when?.