New Decent Homes Standard proposed for the PRS

New Decent Homes Standard proposed for the PRS

11:06 AM, 2nd September 2022, About 2 years ago 23

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The government has unveiled a consultation for a new Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector – and it could be the biggest shake-up for landlords in 30 years.

This is the first time that a standard has been put forward for the sector and the government wants to hear the views from landlords, tenants, housing groups and councils.

The proposal is part of the government’s new deal for renters to make homes safe and secure.

And, they point out, that millions of renters could benefit from a set of improved standards for rented homes – though they also highlight that the majority of landlords in the PRS already meet high standards but a minority are failing to meet these.

Privately rented homes should be in a good state of repair

The consultation asks whether privately rented homes should be required to be kept in a good state of repair with efficient heating, suitable facilities and free from serious hazards like major damp or fire risks.

The government is now seeking views on whether such new standards should be introduced and how they should be enforced.

It claims that ‘more than a fifth of the 4.4 million privately rented homes in England are in poor condition’.

And today’s move shows, the government says, that it is getting on with delivering its levelling up mission, to halve the number of poor-quality rented homes by 2030.

‘Homes that are not of decent standard’

Greg Clark, the housing secretary, said: “I want to see a thriving private rented sector, but that does not mean that tenants should have to suffer homes that are not of a decent standard.

“This consultation asks what the minimum standard for privately rented homes should be.”

The social housing sector has been subject to a decent homes standard since 2001 and over the last decade, poor quality social housing has reduced by over a third.

The introduction of a Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector was outlined in the government’s fairer private rented sector white paper.

‘Extend the Decent Homes Standard to private rented homes’

Alicia Kennedy, the director of Generation Rent, said: “We welcome these plans to extend the Decent Homes Standard to private rented homes.

“As the private rented sector has grown to overtake the social sector in size, not enough action has been taken on the poorer conditions private tenants must put up with.

“Private rented homes are more costly to heat and at a higher risk of disrepair and damp problems.”

She added: “There is no reason why private tenants should expect a worse service than social tenants.

“This crucial measure will help tenants get value for money, whoever they rent from, and stop landlords from profiting by cutting corners.”

The consultation will run for six weeks and seeks views from tenants, landlords, and others in the sector.


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Judith Wordsworth

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8:01 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 03/09/2022 - 07:49
Then we should all evict all tenants on the same day. That would leave +£4.7 million people homeless on the same day for Luca, authorities to deal with not including the thousands of illegals crossing the Channel and legal refugees.

TheBiggerPicture

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8:20 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 03/09/2022 - 08:01
I think we wouldn't have to actually evict the tenants. Just get enough of us to band together and threaten the government with mass eviction. Holding the gun to their head as they do to us.

But it likely to put the public offside if it was not framed correctly and the government could just legislate against eviction.

We could all threaten not to rent any property that comes vacant at once, but interest rates have shot up.

What cards do we hold?

Mick Roberts

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8:24 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

I'll keep repeating this:

Who's paying for this then?
Cause if tenants are paying cheap rent ie. Landlord looking after em, & then Council want £350 or £600 & maybe £5000 or £30,000 to upgrade from E to a C, Landlord then says I can no longer look after u with cheap rent. Cheap rent doesn't pay for these outgoings, I've now got to charge u what the Landlord is charging his better off tenants up the road who's paying more to live in that New build.

Has anyone asked the tenants what they want? We know they want the better house, but when u give them choice I can give u New build for £1000pm or still decent house but not New build standards for £700pm, I know what most tenants say.

Ray Lancaster

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8:54 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

The percentage of bad or rogue landlords is very low who’s home aren’t fit for living.
I’ve seen on tv many times over the last couple of years council homes and housing associations properties that are disgraceful and not fit for purpose. Why don’t they concentrate on those?
I’m completely fed up with being a landlord and starting to sell my properties off.
Sold 3 in the last 18 months. None to BTL investors. Less homes to rent. Government being absolutely oblivious to how landlords feel.

John Parfett

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9:10 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

Oh good, we could do with some new legislation.

Carlos

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10:11 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

Local authorities circa 2006 had millions upon millions from central govt. in order to bring their stock up to the decent homes standard so all private landlords should be looking forward to a bit of a windfall...oh wait.......ok.....So instead let's make it law that all private landlords have to maintain their properties with the same level of competance as MPs do their job!

NewYorkie

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11:57 AM, 3rd September 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by TheBiggerPicture at 03/09/2022 - 08:20
Very few!

Sam B

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7:58 AM, 4th September 2022, About 2 years ago

This is nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be in some respects. The worst bit is in the rent repayment orders if their are no checks and balances. That aspect is outrageous. And particularly punitive after all if x self employed person does not do a 100% job you can't claim all you paid them for can you? + given mould is often the fault of the tenants and as a property has to be free of mould under HHSR that would presumably would mean rent repayments .

What I find bizarre is they say 79% are fine but 21% are not. OK fine. Why not licence/regulate those 21% that are not fine rather pushing up costs for those that are fine. Its this that keeps the better landlords upping the rents considerably more than they would otherwise

Ion Baragau

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12:03 PM, 5th September 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by DSR at 02/09/2022 - 11:52
A private rent is higher than a state one,so when you ask money to the tenant, please ensure that you offer great conditions to live in,not a 4th world conditions.
Remember that the Council tax paid by the tenant, represents a big part of the tax property,that logically should be paid by the owner, not the tenant, as they already pay you,monthly rent.
But griddy people, always keen to rip off others. Only in the UK is such rip off system, not the rest of the Europe.

Luke P

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13:32 PM, 5th September 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Ion Baragau at 05/09/2022 - 12:03
The Council tax is a societal tax contributing to local services such as bin collections and the emergency services...why shouldn't the users of that service (i.e. the tenants pay)?

In a growing number of cases, social rents are higher than the private sector and if you want to compare to Europe, you'd need to factor in CGT advantages and tenants in some EU countries are expected to put kitchens/bathrooms in (they effectively just rent the four walls and roof).

Bitter much? Let's see how you like it when there are no private landlords, because I guarantee you'll be begging for the old days back.

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