Last year, the consultation began on what the future Decent Homes Standard might look like. We all knew changes were coming, but the big question was: what kind of changes?

With details of the new standard now confirmed, we have some of the answers. With age no longer being the trigger and a stronger focus on condition, it’s likely we’ll see continued increases in the number and cost of routine repairs. More components will need to be kept in a “reasonable” state of repair, and landlords will need to add new components to their homes such as window restrictors. We all support the additional focus on condition and resident safety, but a key question still remains – how much will this additional work cost?

For those of us in social housing, the real concern is affordability. As we all work through the details of the new standard, how do we plan ahead while juggling all the other expectations already on the table — plus the huge task of decarbonising homes?

The addition of damp and mould requirements was inevitable after Awaab’s Law, and I think the simplification of the HHSRS will be welcomed by many. Bringing other tenures into scope of the new Decent Homes Standard also means greater consistency and reassurance for people in the private sector.

The thermal comfort element of the new Decent Homes Standard links directly to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES). Final details of this are yet to be confirmed, but we do have an overarching decision on this from government. Important questions still remain unanswered: how will the four metrics, fabric performance, heating efficiency, smart readiness and heating costs, work in practice? Will it align with PAS 2035? Hopefully. We know there will be a spending cap, but how exactly that will work? That’s still unclear.

None of this will sit in isolation either — EPC reform is still progressing. But that reform is needed if we want a methodology that actually delivers warm homes, tackles fuel poverty, and lowers bills for residents. And if we get that right, it should also help reduce damp and mould cases, which loops us straight back to Decent Homes and Awaab’s Law.

With a confirmed implementation date of 2035 for the new Decent Homes Standard, housing providers do have some time to adjust — but not as much as it sounds.

So the real question becomes: how do we prepare now for tomorrow?