The UK’s private rented sector (PRS) is on the cusp of its biggest shake-up in decades, with the Renters’ Rights Act now law and implementation beginning from 1 May 2026. As part of that, the Decent Homes Standard (DHS), which governs the social housing sector, is set to extend to private rentals, including HMOs. It means that landlords and letting agents will face clear duties to deliver safe, modern, hazard-free homes.
The Decent Homes Standard is the government’s benchmark for minimum housing quality, covering safety, repairs, heating, and basic living conditions.
One important note, however: although the legislation is now in place, the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector will not be fully implemented until 2035.
That is still almost a decade away. Time, in theory, for landlords to get their properties in order… but the question has to be, are they not in order already?
For landlords whose properties are managed by LEA Property Solutions, the good news is that your properties are already in order. We pride ourselves on the standards of homes we let out.
As an HMO specialist letting agent working with landlords across Ipswich, we already see these standards as part of responsible property management.
Most landlords we come across – and certainly those we choose to work with – want to provide good, safe accommodation for tenants. We rarely find we need to intervene; that isn’t good fortune, it is intentional and about the standards we hold ourselves to.
Nevertheless, the professional body Propertymark has released a warning about this legislation and its implementation.
It rightly cautions that success hinges not just on the rules themselves, but on professional, regulated agents stepping up to make them work. For tenants, landlords and the very reputation of the sector, this matters hugely.
Why the DHS and Renters’ Rights Act Matter
In its essence, the revised DHS will demand that all rented homes – private and social – meet basic benchmarks: no Category 1 hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), for example serious damp, mould or structural defects; working central heating, with the right insulation and appropriate ventilation (or ‘reliable thermal comfort’); modern and functioning facilities; and the property kept in a good state of repair.
It will build directly on the Renters’ Rights Act, which amends the Housing Act 2004 to apply these standards to PRS properties, including Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Local authorities are to gain stronger enforcement powers, including an ability to impose civil penalties and even criminal sanctions for non-compliance.
For tenants, it will mean an end to the type of substandard housing that has plagued the lettings industry – much to the chagrin of good, considerate landlords and agents. Common examples include damp and mould, unsafe electrics, or poorly insulated properties that drive up energy bills. The sort of issues that people think must be standard and widespread across rental properties, but which realistically are a minority.
Despite our view that most landlords do provide quality accommodation, we can nevertheless see the benefit of having it written into statute, not least because clear guidance on standards reduces ambiguity. It will push landlords and their agents across the board into proactive compliance, thereby avoiding fines and bans.
The sector as a whole should win by shedding its image as a haven for rogue operators. And yet, the point that Propertymark has made this week, and something we have raised ourselves in the past – in articles like this one here – is that, without proper implementation, these reforms might risk becoming just another layer of bureaucracy, failing to root out the minority of properties and rogue operators that will only continue to drag the sector down.
How the Sector Itself Can Work to Get it Right
Propertymark is perhaps the leading professional body for estate and letting agents, so it is not simply commenting from the sidelines; it actively shapes the conversation.
In its recent statement, the organisation stressed that the Decent Homes Standard debate must go beyond wording to recognise agents’ “central role” in delivering quality homes.
Qualified, regulated professionals, they argue, are going to be best placed to advise landlords on everything from compliance to condition and nip issues in the bud before they escalate.
We think Propertymark are right in this. That said, as a specialist Ipswich HMO agent with a moral compass and standards of our own, we already feel that this is our job – it is really nothing new.
Nevertheless, the Propertymark stance carries weight because, as a body, it sets a standard for agent qualifications, not simply ethics. With over 12,000 members, it pushes for mandatory training, consistent service levels and robust enforcement – countering the current patchwork of standards that leaves consumers vulnerable. They have also called for more funding for local authority teams and transparency on inspections, warning that under-resourced enforcement could undermine the DHS entirely.
The Bigger Picture for Landlords and Agents
For landlords, providing safe, warm and decent accommodation is not going to be optional. In our view, it goes without saying, it should already be a landlord’s default position.
Nevertheless, from 2035, it will become a legal duty backed by real teeth, and with the right agent on board to help, preparation for it will be straightforward if there are concerns.
Even then, once in the decent, acceptable condition it needs to be in, it is also about keeping it that way. To us, that means regular inspections and reports, targeted repairs and planned and scheduled improvements. There will be changes to energy efficiency requirements coming in alongside the DHS, which a qualified, experienced letting agency will be able to advise on and assist with.
Limited past enforcement has allowed less scrupulous agents and landlords alike to get away with things – even to flourish. But the Renters’ Rights Act, paired with the Decent Homes Standard, tighter Energy Efficiency standards, and adopting measures like Awaab’s Law from the Social Housing sector to tackle damp and mould, are all intended to banish those operators for good. When the new PRS Ombudsman is introduced, it will mean an easier route for tenants to hold those operators to account.
Agents who embrace this – through training, qualifications, improved processes, and tighter due diligence – will thrive. Others will fall behind.
At LEA Property Solutions, we are confident we already meet these new expectations and standards – and we have the reviews, testimonials and accolades to demonstrate it. We are thrilled to see a body like Propertymark now come out to call out all agents to raise their game.
Looking Ahead
The Renters’ Rights Act and DHS represent a once-in-a-generation chance to professionalise the PRS – and perhaps, to ensure we get it right once and for all, it really is worth spending 10 years implementing it properly.
Propertymark’s voice ensures agents will take note and respond, remaining at the heart of delivery. For tenants, safe, decent homes should be the universal expectation. For the sector, despite the challenges that new legislation always brings, we can see a brighter, better-respected future.