Six in 10 landlords support the introduction of a minimum set of property standards for the private rented sector, according to Paragon Bank .

The specialist buy-to-let lender surveyed over 500 landlords and found that 34% strongly support the measure, with 28% expressing general support.

A further 8% admitted they weren’t aware of plans to introduce minimum standards to the sector.

What is changing?

The government has pledged to introduce a Decent Homes Standard for privately rented property as part of its Renters Reform Bill. It has consulted on measures that could be introduced and the sector awaits the next steps.

A Decent Homes Standard was introduced for the social housing sector in 2001, with the proportion of homes that do not meet the Standard reducing from 39% in 2001 to 13% in 2020. Now the government wants to widen this out to include the private rented sector.

Lack of action

Landlords expressed frustration at a lack of action to drive out rogue elements of the sector, added Paragon. Nearly three quarters (74%) said they felt frustrated that Local Authorities don’t act against landlords who let sub-standard homes.

The private rented sector has experienced a significant improvement in the standard of homes over the past 15 years, said the lender. In 2008, 44% of homes in the sector were defined as non-decent according to the Government’s English Housing Survey. Today, that figure stands at 23%.

The addition of good quality homes has diluted the presence of poorer stock; In 2008, 1.8 million privately rented homes were classed as decent, rising to 3.3 million in 2021 – an 83% increase.

There has also been a reduction in the number of properties classed as non-decent – falling from 1.4 million to 990,000, a 29% reduction.

Richard Rowntree, Paragon Bank managing director of mortgages, said: “The vast majority of landlords have nothing to fear from a Decent Homes Standard as they are providing a good quality home to their tenants already. It’s the minority of landlords who don’t meet these standards that are tarnishing the wider reputation of the sector.

“At Paragon, we employ our own in-house team of surveyors, who assess a rental property to a stringent standard, so we act as a natural barrier to poor quality homes entering the sector. Landlords have made great strides in improving the standards of rental property over the past 15 years and they should be celebrated.”