Bell Welcomes the New Decent Homes Standard
We are excited to see the government has announced an important update to the Decent Homes Standard, which aims to enhance living conditions for tenants in both social and privately rented homes across the UK. Originally launched in the early 00’s, the Decent Homes Standard aimed to raise the bar in Social Housing, creating a minimum quality level across the sector.
The new Decent Homes Standard is an updated and enhanced minimum quality criteria that homes must meet to be considered decent. This includes ensuring that homes are free from serious hazards, are structurally sound, have adequate facilities, and provide a reasonable degree of thermal comfort. The updated standard will expand these criteria to address modern living needs, including energy efficiency and accessibility, ensuring that all homes are safe, secure, and suitable for the diverse needs of tenants.
Bell have long been committed to supporting social landlords in achieving these standards. We believe that the new updates will not only improve the quality of life for tenants but also stimulate economic growth by creating jobs within local economies as well as encouraging investment in the housing sector.
The consultation (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-a-reformed-decent-homes-standard-for-social-and-privately-rented-homeswill) will encourage key stakeholders; including social landlords, tenants, and industry professionals, to engage in this process and Bell will support our clients as they navigate these changes and achieve compliance in accordance with the new standards.
This is a really positive step for the sector and we look forward to playing our part in changing people’s lives for the better.
