England: Campaigners condemn 2035 deadline for Decent Homes Standard

The long‑awaited announcement confirms that the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), already in place for social housing, will finally be extended to the private rented sector. But the timeline has sparked anger from renter groups, who say the delay undermines the very purpose of the Renters’ Rights Act.

Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said the decision “lets landlords drag their feet for an entire decade”, calling the timeline “absurd” and warning that it will leave “millions of renters, including children, trapped living in poor‑quality homes with nowhere to turn.”

More than one in five private rented homes in England are currently classed as non‑decent, according to the English Housing Survey, with issues ranging from damp and mould to serious safety hazards.

Campaigners had pushed for a 2030 deadline, arguing that the government’s own data shows the scale and urgency of the problem. Instead, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government confirmed that both social and private landlords will have until 2035 to comply.

Housing minister Matthew Pennycook defended the decision, saying the extended timeline “gives social landlords in particular the time and the certainty they need” to improve existing stock while continuing to build new affordable homes.

He described the updated DHS as a “modernised” set of standards designed to ensure homes are safe, warm and free from hazards, damp and mould. The new rules will also require features such as noise insulation and child‑resistant window restrictors.

Pennycook insisted that “no tenant should have to live in unsafe conditions for any amount of time”, but acknowledged the “significant challenges” facing landlords as wider regulatory reforms take effect.

Labour MP Paula Barker called the decision a “disgrace”, warning that families will remain in dangerous homes “for close to another decade”.

Shelter chief executive Sarah Elliott said renters “simply can’t wait this long”, describing the situation as “outrageous” given the health risks associated with poor housing. She urged the government to ensure councils are properly funded to enforce standards now, not in 2035.

The Renters’ Reform Coalition echoed those concerns, saying the lack of urgency “gives landlords the green light to continue profiting from rotten homes”.

The National Residential Landlords Association offered a broadly positive response, saying the new standards provide “much‑needed clarity”. However, chief executive Ben Beadle stressed that “all the standards in the world will mean nothing without robust enforcement”.

He warned that many councils currently lack the staff and resources to tackle rogue landlords, and that penalties often go uncollected.

The DHS was first introduced for social housing in 2001, with an enforcement deadline of 2010. Even today, around 10% of social rented homes still fail to meet the standard, which has not been updated since 2006.

The government argues that the 2035 timeline mirrors the original nine‑year implementation period and will allow landlords to plan and invest appropriately. Some measures – such as minimum energy efficiency requirements – are expected to come into force sooner.

A government spokesperson said landlords must continue to fix problems now, adding that the reforms will ultimately lead to “cheaper energy bills and warmer homes for tenants”.