Agents’ body Propertymark is warning that local councils will struggle to enforce the Decent Homes Standard that Labour wants to introduce to the private rental sector.

Housing Secretary and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner says both the private and social rental sectors will have a new standard: consultation is likely this autumn ahead of implementation in 2025.  

Also, a Competence and Conduct standard for the social rented sector will be introduced to ensure staff have the right skills, behaviours and experience. It will include qualification requirements for senior managers and executives. 

Propertymark says this should be extended to the private rented sector too, and advocates for regulation of lettings agents in England. The body claims that its members already work above what the law requires, are qualified, and provide a competent service to landlords and tenants.

It says that ensuring safe and secure housing will be the standard people can expect in both social housing and privately rented properties, but insists that the standard should provide some accountability for tenants too. 

“If a breach in the standard is due to a tenant’s lack of care or neglect, the landlord should not be held accountable for the violation; this is especially important when addressing damp and mould issues” says the body in a statement on its website.

Propertymark says it’s long advocated for such reforms, seeing them as necessary to professionalise the sector and protect tenants from unacceptable living conditions.

But it says it’s worried about the responsibility for enforcement probably falling on local authorities. 

It says these are already under significant pressure and “without new resources and funding to support the implementation of the decent homes’ standard, many councils will inevitably struggle.”

Timothy Douglas, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Propertymark, comments: “Property agents want to see safe and secure homes across the private rented sector, so extending the Decent Homes Standards and Awaab’s Law into the Private Rented Sector are welcome steps. However, an understanding of different property types and greater partnership when working with agents, tenants and landlords is key to the success of these measures.

“Furthermore, many property agents are already operating to professional standards, so will want to know through the consultation process how the UK Government will ensure local authorities are adequately resourced and funded so they can enforce the new rules effectively.”