The Decent Homes Standard

 At the heart of these reforms is a clear message that every home must be safe, healthy, and free from damp and mould. This is a milestone moment for tenants, landlords, and the wider built environment. 

Damp and mould have been recognised as a significant health hazard, contributing to respiratory illness, poor thermal comfort, and energy inefficiency. The consultation explicitly introduces a new standard for damp and mould within the revisions to the DHS. 

Citizens Advice highlights that 75% of private renters have lived in a property with damp, mould or excessive cold, with thousands each year seeking help related to these issues. The consultation aims to ensure these hazards are no longer tolerated in rented accommodation. 

The tragic death of Awaab Ishak in 2020, due to prolonged mould exposure, pushed the Government to strengthen regulation, including commitments via Awaab’s Law to ensure social landlords act quickly on hazards such as damp and mould. 

A major outcome of the reformed Decent Homes Standard is the Government’s intention to extend the DHS to the private rented sector. Consultation responses highlight that this extension will equal protection to private renters, who have historically faced different levels of protection despite facing similar hazards. 

This alignment is particularly significant because social renters are already supported by Awaab’s Law, which requires social landlords to follow fixed timeframes for addressing damp, mould and emergency hazards. By strengthening and extending the DHS, private renters will now gain equivalent health and safety protections, closing the longstanding gap between rental sectors. 

This shift will not only protect tenants but also set clearer expectations for all landlords about how quickly and proactively they must tackle damp and mould. 

The reformed DHS brings several important updates, including: 

• A dedicated requirement to prevent damp and mould in all rented homes.
• Stronger alignment with wider safety and health protections, including updated thermal comfort and energy efficiency criteria.
• Extension of the DHS to the private rented sector, affecting millions of additional homes.
• Earlier enforcement powers for local authorities to act where damp and mould hazards persist. 

These reforms make ventilation performance a critical compliance factor, something which has been long overlooked in many older homes. As a long-standing manufacturer of ventilation solutions, Xpelair by Dimplex directly addresses the core issues highlighted by the DHS reforms. 

Effective ventilation is essential for: 

1. Reducing moisture at source. Bathrooms, kitchens, and utility rooms are major sources of moisture. Xpelair’s mechanical extract and positive input ventilation solutions help ensure moisture is removed before it condenses into damp and mould.
2. Improving whole-home air quality. The consultation emphasises thermal comfort and the health impacts of poor air circulation. Continuous running ventilation systems and humidity‑sensing fans provide consistent airflow, especially in older or newly insulated homes.
3. Supporting landlords with measurable compliance. The revised DHS requires landlords to demonstrate practical steps to eliminate hazards. Ventilation is one of the most cost‑effective, evidence‑based measures they can implement. 

With the Government indicating that enforcement powers may come sooner rather than later, landlords, especially those in the private rented sector, are encouraged to assess their homes now for damp and mould risk. 

Ventilation is a straightforward, cost‑efficient improvement that directly contributes to DHS compliance. Choosing reliable, high-performance solutions from Xpelair helps reduce tenant complaints, improves health outcomes, and protects buildings from long-term damage. 

The revised Decent Homes Standard marks one of the most significant updates to housing regulation in two decades. Its stronger stance on damp and mould places ventilation front and centre in delivering safe, healthy living environments. 

Xpelair by Dimplex is well positioned to support landlords, housing associations, and contractors in meeting these requirements with trusted, proven solutions that tackle the root causes of damp and mould.

Learn how Awaab’s Law impacts ventilation strategy in social housing with Xpelair by Dimplex’s accredited CPD

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