Recommendation 3

We welcome the government’s decision to apply the new Decent Homes Standard to privately rented homes. The government has a difficult balance to strike between the need to deliver better homes to tenants quickly while allowing landlords the time they need to upgrade their homes. Regrettably, the ministry’s impact assessment assumes that landlords are likely to wait until shortly before the standard comes into effect in 2035 before upgrading their properties. With over 1 million privately rented homes estimated to be below the existing Decent Homes Standard, we are concerned that many renters will be waiting a long time for their homes to be improved. The government should establish incentives to encourage landlords to upgrade their homes sooner. (Conclusion, Paragraph 41)