Source · Select Committees · Health and Social Care Committee
Recommendation 3
3
Accepted
Paragraph: 16
Poor quality private rented housing burdens NHS, lacking promised minimum quality standard.
Conclusion
Homes in the private rented sector contribute disproportionately to both the total number of poor quality homes and the costs that poor housing causes to the NHS. The existence of a statutory minimum standard for housing in the social rented sector is not enough on its own to protect tenants and the health service from the many preventable health impacts of poor quality and unsafe housing. The Renters (Reform) Bill contains some welcome steps to further protect tenants. But recent high profile cases involving tenants in social housing have demonstrated that the health impact of poor quality housing can be catastrophic. Over three years after the Government first committed to review and then extend the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector, no legal minimum quality standard exists to protect tenants in private rentals.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government highlights existing measures such as the Nationally Described Space Standard, requirements for Permitted Development Rights, and design codes as mechanisms to maintain design quality. They conclude that further consultation on design or space standards is not necessary at this time.
Paragraph Reference:
16
Government Response
The government responded to this report on 9 May 2024. No passage in that response could be matched to this conclusion. Read the response document ↗