The Decent Homes Standard is here, confirming the most significant changes to housing quality standards in England since 2006.
The initial consultation closed in September 2025 after receiving thousands of responses from housing providers, tenant organisations, and industry bodies. On 27 January 2026, the government published its response: the consultation has concluded, the government has confirmed the new reformed standard, and housing providers now have until 2035 to bring properties into compliance.
Chameleon Technology works with housing providers across England preparing for these requirements. The reformed standard places greater emphasis on preventing damp and mould – areas where our environmental monitoring solutions provide early warning before problems escalate.
What was the Decent Homes Standard consultation?
The government launched the consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard in July 2025. The consultation asked for views on updating the Decent Homes Standard, which had remained largely unchanged since 2006. This was the most comprehensive review of housing quality standards in nearly 20 years.
Key questions addressed:
- Should the standard apply to the private rented sector for the first time?
- How should assessment move from age-based criteria to condition-based assessment?
- What enforcement date would give landlords sufficient time to comply: 2035 or 2037?
- How should the standard interact with Awaab’s Law and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?
Why it mattered
In 2024, around 4 million rented homes in England failed the existing Decent Homes Standard. In the social sector, 10% of homes were non-decent. In the private rented sector, 21% failed the standard.
The cost to the NHS from hazards in non-decent homes was estimated at £290 million per year in the private rented sector, and £65 million per year in the social sector.
What the government decided: January 2026 policy statement
On 27 January 2026, the government published The New Decent Homes Standard: policy statement, confirming the reformed standard and implementation timeline.
- The new standard will apply to both sectors
The Decent Homes Standard now applies to both social housing and private rented housing in England. This creates parity between sectors for the first time. - Five criteria, not four
The reformed standard contains five criteria, adding a new Criterion E specifically for damp and mould assessment. The original four criteria have also been updated and strengthened. - Enforcement from 2035
The government confirmed 2035 as the enforcement date. This gives housing providers nine years to bring properties into compliance. - Condition-based, not age-based
One of the biggest changes has been that the assessment moves away from arbitrary age thresholds for kitchens and bathrooms. The old standard required kitchens to be less than 20 years old and bathrooms less than 30 years old. Properties are now assessed on actual condition, functionality, and safety rather than installation date. - Alignment with other standards
The reformed standard works alongside Awaab’s Law and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. Criterion E is designed so that, if met, damp and mould should not generally reach the levels that would trigger Awaab’s Law investigation requirements.
The five criteria explained
Criterion A: Free from serious hazards
A home must be free of Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. This includes the most dangerous hazards to health and safety.
Criterion B: Reasonable state of repair
Key building components must be in reasonable repair. If one or more key components are failing, or two or more other components are failing, the property is non-decent.
Criterion C: Modern facilities and services
Homes need functional kitchens and bathrooms in safe condition with appropriate layout, storage, lighting, and usability. The reformed standard also addresses safety features including window restrictors, electrical compliance, ventilation, and flooring condition, with detailed requirements set out in implementing guidance.
Criterion D: Thermal comfort
Properties must have fixed, efficient heating systems capable of providing adequate warmth throughout the entire dwelling, not just the living room and one other room as the old standard required. This aligns with wider energy efficiency policies.
Criterion E: Free from damp and mould
This is the new criterion. Properties fail Criterion E if damp and mould hazards are assessed at HHSRS bands A to H. Only the very lowest-risk bands (I and J) are compatible with passing the standard.
Criterion E works alongside Awaab’s Law requirements. Criterion E is designed so that, if met, damp and mould should not generally reach the levels that would trigger Awaab’s Law investigation timescales.
Impact on housing providers: what the numbers show
English Housing Survey modelling assessed how many properties would need remedial works under the reformed standard.
Using 2019 data:
- Social sector: 40% of homes would fail the reformed standard, up from 12% under the old standard.
- Private rented sector: 47% would fail the reformed standard, up from 23% under the old standard.
Estimated compliance costs:
- Private rented sector: £2.7 billion to £2.8 billion in additional costs.
- Social rented sector: £1.2 billion to £1.3 billion in additional costs.
These are 2025 price estimates for bringing properties into compliance, excluding costs landlords should already be meeting under existing legal obligations.
Timeline and phased approach
Now to 2035: Preparation phase
Housing providers must continue meeting all existing legal obligations including the current Decent Homes Standard (for social housing), HHSRS requirements, fitness for human habitation standards, and Awaab’s Law timescales.
The government was explicit: landlords must not delay action on the basis that the new standard doesn’t apply until 2035. There is plenty that needs doing ahead of the implementation – leaving it until 2032 would be a mistake. Properties must continue to meet current legal standards, and work should begin now to plan for assessment and investment programmes.
Before you even begin condition surveys to assess what work needs doing, your required paperwork and systems need updating to assess properties against the five new criteria. Budget planning must account for compliance costs over the nine-year implementation period. Contractor capacity and supply chain relationships require early attention, particularly for damp remediation and heating system upgrades.
Simply put, you cannot afford to wait to begin preparations.
2035: Enforcement begins
From 2035, local authorities will enforce the reformed Decent Homes Standard in both social and private rented sectors. Properties failing any of the five criteria will be classed as non-decent.
Awaab’s Law continues operating alongside the Decent Homes Standard. Phase 1 came into force in October 2025, with strict timescales for investigating and remediating significant damp and mould hazards, and Phase 2 is expected later this year.
The Decent Homes Standard sets the baseline; Awaab’s Law sets rapid response timescales when hazards are reported.
What housing providers should do now
Conduct new baseline analysis
Compare your current stock against the five updated criteria. The shift from age-based to condition-based assessment may reveal different priorities than previous surveys identified. Properties with kitchens or bathrooms installed 20 or 30 years ago might pass under condition assessment, while newer installations in poor condition will fail.
Prioritise Criterion E preparation
Damp and mould assessment under HHSRS bands A to H is stricter than many providers expect. Properties currently showing minor dampness or condensation issues may fail Criterion E.
Environmental monitoring helps identify properties at risk before visible damp and mould develop. Our Gateway Connect devices monitor temperature and humidity, as well as real-time energy usage, providing data that predicts condensation risk and identifies potential issues early.
Addressing damp and mould proactively meets both Criterion E requirements and Awaab’s Law compliance, avoiding emergency works when tenants report hazards.
Update investment plans
With £1.2 billion to £1.3 billion estimated costs for the social sector, and nine years to meet the new standard, your annual investment planning needs adjusting. Phasing works strategically over the period will help manage cash flow and contractor capacity.
Build contractor relationships
Demand for damp remediation, heating system upgrades, and building fabric improvements will surge as 2035 approaches. Securing contractor frameworks and supply chain relationships now will avoid capacity issues and cost inflation later.
Monitor policy development
The government will publish detailed guidance on assessment methodology, enforcement, and transitional arrangements, so make sure you’re up to date on all the latest news. Regulatory frameworks for local authority enforcement in the private rented sector are still being finalised.
Criterion E and proactive monitoring
The introduction of Criterion E creates a measurable standard for damp and mould that housing providers must demonstrate compliance with.
Temperature and humidity monitoring provides the data needed to show properties are being managed proactively. When surveys assess properties against HHSRS bands, having a log of environmental data will demonstrate conditions have been maintained below hazard thresholds.
Early identification prevents Criterion E failures. Properties approaching dew point conditions can be flagged for ventilation improvements or tenant advice before mould appears. Heating system performance issues will also show up in temperature data before they cause thermal comfort failures under Criterion D.
This predictive approach means fewer emergency interventions and lower long-term remediation costs.
The bigger picture: regulatory convergence
The Decent Homes Standard consultation outcome represents a significant shift in how housing quality is regulated in England.
The updated standard now works alongside other regulations designed to improve the quality of social housing: Awaab’s Law timescales, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and fitness for human habitation requirements. These aren’t separate silos. Together, they form a coordinated framework raising quality expectations across rented housing.
Housing providers who treat 2035 as distant will struggle. Those who integrate Decent Homes Standard preparation into current asset management strategies will find compliance manageable and can budget costs reasonably.
The consultation has concluded. The standard is confirmed. The timeline is set. Preparation starts now.
Get in touch to discuss how environmental monitoring can help you prepare for Criterion E requirements, and identify damp and mould risks before they develop into compliance failures.
