Fact sheet: Homes (Fitness For Human Habitation) Act 2018

The evidence that underpins the policy has been criticised by the Regulatory Policy Committee as not fit for purpose, with concerns raised about whether it can genuinely drive improvements in housing quality across the private rented sector (PRS). As the UK Government considers extending and reforming the DHS, it is vital that policymakers recognise a simple truth: standards alone will not improve homes unless they are enforceable, understood and supported by a professional, regulated sector.

The reforms are designed to better reflect current patterns of need and ensure funding is distributed more fairly and will influence how quickly adaptations can be delivered for disabled homeowners and renters, including those in the private rented sector (PRS). However, the UK Government has not lifted the cap on the maximum grant amount, leaving some people still unable to cover the cost of necessary work.

Housing quality and energy efficiency underline the progress made, and the scale of the challenges still facing the sector is the headline finding in the EHS (English Housing Survey). Policy ambitions must have clear guidance, realistic timescales, workable exemptions, and sustained funding to reflect the diversity of the housing stock. Active involvement by qualified property professionals is also a must if raising standards is to be achieved.

A House of Commons Public Accounts Committee report states that the UK Government’s energy efficiency installation initiative has suffered serious failings at every level, leaving more than 30,000 homes with defects after external and internal wall insulation was installed through ECO4 and the Great British Insulation Scheme.