Guidance

Home Standard

Published 1 April 2012

Applies to England

Notice

This standard no longer applies.

It was superseded on 1 April 2024 by the Safety and Quality Standard.

The latest versions of all our standards are available by visiting Regulatory standards for landlords.

Required outcomes

1.1 Quality of accommodation

Registered providers shall:

• (a) ensure that tenants’ homes meet the standard set out in section five of the Government’s Decent Homes Guidance^{[footnote ]} and continue to maintain their homes to at least this standard
• (b) meet the standards of design and quality that applied when the home was built, and were required as a condition of publicly funded financial assistance^{[footnote ]} if these standards are higher than the Decent Homes Standard
• (c) in agreeing a local offer, ensure that it is set at a level not less than these standards and have regard to section six of the Government’s Decent Homes Guidance.

1.2 Repairs and maintenance

Registered providers shall:

• (a) provide a cost-effective repairs and maintenance service to homes and communal areas that responds to the needs of, and offers choices to, tenants, and has the objective of completing repairs and improvements right first time
• (b) meet all applicable statutory requirements that provide for the health and safety of the occupants in their homes.

Specific expectations

2.1 Quality of accommodation

2.1.1 Registered providers may agree with the regulator a period of non-compliance with the Decent Homes Standard, where this is reasonable. Providers shall ensure their tenants are aware of the reasons for any period of non-compliance, their plan to achieve compliance and then report on progress delivering this plan.

2.2 Repairs and maintenance

2.2.1 Registered providers shall ensure a prudent, planned approach to repairs and maintenance of homes and communal areas. This should demonstrate an appropriate balance of planned and responsive repairs, and value for money. The approach should include: responsive and cyclical repairs, planned and capital work, work on empty properties, and adaptations.

2.2.2 Registered providers shall co-operate with relevant organisations to provide an adaptations service that meets tenants’ needs.

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Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent via enquiries@rsh.gov.uk or call 0300 124 5225 or write to:

Regulator of Social Housing
1st floor – Lateral
8 City Walk
Leeds LS11 9AT

RSH regulates private registered providers of social housing to promote a viable, efficient and well-governed social housing sector able to deliver homes that meet a range of needs.

1. ‘Decent Homes Guidance’ means A Decent Home: Definition and Guidance for Implementation, published by the Department for Communities and Local Government in June 2006, and any guidance issued by the department or its successors, in relation to that document. ↩

2. ‘Financial assistance’ is assistance given by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) under section 19(3) of the Housing and Regeneration Act, 2008; and (with effect from 1 April 2012) given by the Greater London Authority (GLA). For the purpose of this standard, it includes financial assistance provided by predecessor bodies to the HCA. ↩