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Decent Homes Standard

The Decent Homes Standard has changed. Expectations have changed too. The new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) represents the most significant update to housing quality requirements in almost two decades. Introduced to improve the standard of rented homes, the revised framework raises expectations around property condition, energy efficiency, safety and resident wellbeing.
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Decent Homes Standard

The Decent Homes Standard has changed. Expectations have changed too. The new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) represents the most significant update to housing quality requirements in almost two decades. Introduced to improve the standard of rented homes, the revised framework raises expectations around property condition, energy efficiency, safety and resident wellbeing.

Beyond Decent: Delivering Homes Built to Last

Recent government policy also places a stronger focus on thermal comfort, housing quality and long-term sustainability.

For social landlords and local authorities, this is more than a compliance exercise. It's an opportunity to improve housing stock, strengthen tenant relationships and make every pound of investment work harder. 

At Equans, we believe the future of housing lies not in meeting minimum standards, but in creating homes that are durable, resilient and ready for the challenges of tomorrow.

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Nearly two decades ago, Equans helped deliver one of the UK's largest housing improvement programmes, upgrading more than 250,000 homes through the original Decent Homes initiative. 

What is the Decent Homes Standard?

The Decent Homes Standard is the government's benchmark for housing quality in England. Originally introduced in the early 2000s, it was designed to ensure homes are safe, warm, in a reasonable state of repair and equipped with appropriate facilities.

The standard is built around five key requirements. Homes must be:

    • Free from the most serious health and safety hazards
    • In a reasonable state of repair
    • Equipped with essential facilities and services
    • Able to provide thermal comfort and improved energy performance
    • Free from unresolved damp and mould

These requirements are intended to help ensure rented homes remain safe, warm and suitable for modern living.

Going beyond compliance with Equans

Nearly two decades ago, Equans helped deliver one of the UK's largest housing improvement programmes, upgrading more than 250,000 homes through the original Decent Homes initiative. This experience has given us a deep understanding of how to deliver large-scale improvements while balancing quality, cost and resident needs. 

Today, we help social landlords and local authorities do more than achieve compliance.

We help them build long-term resilience into their housing stock.

Our approach combines asset intelligence, retrofit expertise, planned maintenance and resident-focused delivery to create homes that perform better, cost less to maintain and remain fit for the future.

before

After

Why simply meeting the standard isn't enough

Compliance is essential, but it should be viewed as the starting point, not the destination.

Housing providers today face a complex challenge. Budgets are constrained, resident expectations are rising, and housing assets are under increasing pressure from ageing infrastructure, climate impacts and maintenance backlogs. 

  • Asset Health
    A well-maintained home is a more valuable home. We work with landlords to understand the condition of their housing stock, identify investment priorities and deliver improvements that extend asset life while reducing costly emergency repairs. Whether replacing ageing components, improving building fabric or integrating energy-saving measures, our focus is on long-term performance rather than short-term fixes.
  • Tenant Trust
    Residents expect more than compliance. They want homes that feel safe, comfortable and reliable. By delivering improvements that genuinely improve daily living, housing providers can strengthen relationships with tenants, increase satisfaction and demonstrate their commitment to resident wellbeing. Warm, healthy and efficient homes help build confidence and trust that lasts.
  • Data-Led Efficiency
    When budgets are under pressure, investment decisions matter more than ever. Our data-led approach helps housing providers prioritise interventions based on condition, risk and impact. This "worst-first" methodology ensures resources are directed to the homes where they will deliver the greatest value and improve outcomes most effectively. The result is smarter investment, better planning and greater return on available funding.

What should housing providers be doing now?

While the new Decent Homes Standard will be implemented over time, housing providers are already reviewing housing stock, investment priorities, and long-term asset performance.

Key considerations include:

  • Understanding current stock condition
  • Identifying damp and mould risks
  • Reviewing thermal comfort and energy efficiency
  • Prioritising investment based on condition and risk
  • Aligning repairs, maintenance and retrofit programmes

The new Decent Homes Standard highlights the growing importance of energy efficiency and thermal comfort within housing quality expectations. Energy performance is no longer a separate conversation from housing condition; the two are intrinsically linked and taking a planned approach can help organisations achieve better resident outcomes while making more effective use of available funding.

Our approach combines traditional housing improvements with retrofit solutions that create:

  • Warmer homes
  • Lower energy bills
  • Reduced carbon emissions
  • Improved indoor comfort
  • Greater resilience against future regulatory requirements

By aligning Decent Homes programmes with wider retrofit ambitions, landlords can maximise investment value while supporting their journey towards net zero. 

Examples of our work

Read all our case studies here
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Leeds Tower Block

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Case study

Manchester City Council Housing

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Boat Blocks, Birmingham

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Case study

Luton Towers

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Frequently asked questions

    What is the Decent Homes Standard?

    The Decent Homes Standard is the government’s benchmark for housing quality in England. It sets out expectations for safe, warm and well-maintained homes, covering areas such as property condition, essential facilities, thermal comfort and resident wellbeing.

    Why is the Decent Homes Standard changing?

    The standard is being updated to reflect modern housing priorities and rising resident expectations. The revised approach places greater emphasis on issues such as damp and mould, thermal comfort, building performance and the overall quality of residents’ homes.

    What does the new Decent Homes Standard mean for housing providers?

    For housing providers, the updated framework creates a need to look beyond basic compliance. It encourages a more joined-up approach to asset performance, housing condition, energy efficiency and resident outcomes, helping providers align maintenance, investment and improvement programmes more effectively.

    How does energy efficiency relate to the Decent Homes Standard?

    Energy efficiency is increasingly linked to the quality, comfort and long-term performance of homes. By connecting repairs, planned maintenance and retrofit activity, housing providers can improve property condition while also supporting warmer homes, lower energy use and better resident outcomes.

    How can housing providers prioritise investment across their housing stock?

    Housing providers can use stock condition data, asset performance insights and risk-based assessments to identify where investment will have the greatest impact. This helps prioritise homes with the most urgent need, improve resident experience and support better long-term asset planning.

    How can Equans support Decent Homes programmes?

    Equans supports housing providers through asset intelligence, planned maintenance, housing improvements, retrofit delivery and resident-focused programmes that help improve housing quality and long-term asset performance.