Safeagent pushes for clearer Decent Homes Standard in the PRS

The UK’s leading not-for-profit accreditation body for lettings and management agents, safeagent, has put forward a robust response to the recent Decent Homes Standard consultation, which concluded last week.

The organisation is pushing for a practical and effective framework to improve living conditions in the private rented sector while warning against overly complex regulations.

Isobel Thomson, safeagent’s chief executive, said: “We fully support the principle that all rented homes should provide tenants with safe, warm and decent accommodation.”

However, she stressed the need for clarity, particularly with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), both currently under review.

Practical Decent Homes Standard guidance

Ms Thomson is also urging the government to release the 2022 HHSRS Review to provide the lettings industry with practical guidance on implementing these changes.

Safeagent’s response highlights that piling on new regulations is not the answer to improving compliance.

Instead, the organisation points to the chronic underfunding of local authority housing enforcement and trading standards teams, which are responsible for addressing the sector’s worst offenders.

Ms Thomson said: “Unless we succeed in tackling under-resourcing, a new Decent Homes Standard could have minimal impact.”

Laws already cover standard issues

The accreditation body also raised concerns about the complexity of some proposals, particularly DHS Criterion C, which covers facilities and other elements.

For instance, the requirement for adequate external noise insulation applies to houses but not flats, with no clear guidance on how ‘adequacy’ should be measured.

This inconsistency, safeagent argues, creates confusion for landlords, agents and tenants alike.

On the issue of damp and mould, safeagent questions the need for additional regulations under DHS Criterion E.

Too many rules for the DHS

It says that existing measures, such as the HHSRS, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, and the upcoming Awaab’s Law, already address these concerns.

Adding another layer of rules risks duplicating efforts without delivering meaningful improvements, safeagent says.

The organisation also sees little value in creating a universal home security standard for the PRS, given the diverse nature of properties.

A one-size-fits-all approach, it argues, would be challenging for the sector to implement effectively.

Ms Thomson said: “Overall, there’s a pressing need to simplify and streamline the housing regulatory model, which will benefit all interested parties including landlords, agents, tenants and local authority enforcement officers.”