Decent Homes Standard

The Decent Homes Standard is defined in official guidance as resting on four criteria that a home must satisfy to count as decent: 'a) It meets the current statutory minimum standard for housing... b) It is in a reasonable state of repair... c) It has reasonably modern facilities and services... d) It provides a reasonable degree of thermal comfort.' The first limb is measured against the Housing Health and Safety Rating System: a home fails it if it contains 'one or more hazards assessed as serious (‘Category 1’) under the HHSRS.'

The repair and modernisation limbs are also given precise content in the guidance. A home fails the repair criterion where 'one or more of the key building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair; or two or more of the other building components are old and, because of their condition, need replacing or major repair.' A home fails the modern-facilities criterion if it lacks three or more items from a defined list including 'a reasonably modern kitchen (20 years old or less)' and 'a reasonably modern bathroom (30 years old or less),' though the guidance notes that 'a home lacking two or fewer of the above is still classed as decent.' The thermal comfort criterion 'requires dwellings to have both effective insulation and efficient heating.'