NHC Policy Network
The NHC’s Policy Network is back, and in our session on the 6th August 2025 we’ll be joined by Karen Brown and Tom Kennedy from the NHC’s policy team who’ll talk us through the recent consultations announced by Government on the:
- new Decent Homes Standard
- Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for all social homes
- rent convergence proposals
We’ll also be seeking your views as to how the Policy Network can best support you over the coming year. We’re especially interested in how we can work together on our policy projects, consultations, visits and tours, and engagement with MPs.
Below is some background information, which you may find helpful before the session.
Book here for the next Policy Network – we look forward to seeing you there!
Quality of Social Housing Stock
As part of a package of measures aimed at improving the quality of rented housing, the Government has announced a consultation on a new Decent Homes Standard (DHS) for the social and private rented sectors.
We will be seeking the views of members to the questions on the reformed Standard including:
- updating the way in which disrepair is measured, removing age requirements, updating the thresholds used to define that a component is in poor condition, revising the list of core facilities and updating the list of building components which must be kept in reasonable repair.
- seeking views on adding a new requirement that suitable floor coverings are provided in all rooms at the start of a tenancy.
- a newly established criterion to ensure properties are free from damp and mould (supported by the HHSRS to measure compliance and enforcement).
Phase one regulations for Awaab’s Law will come into force in the Autumn and from 27 October 2025, social landlords will be required to address damp and mould using the timescales set out in the new regulations. If the property cannot be made safe in the timescales, tenants must be decanted to temporary accommodation until the repairs are completed.
Phases 2 and 3 of Awaab’s Law will be implemented in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
Social Housing Energy Efficiency
Alongside the ongoing consultation into a new Decent Homes Standard, the Government is also consulting on the introduction of new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for all social homes. We will be discussing these proposals, as well as the proposed changes to the Decent Homes Standard, at the next meeting of our Policy Network.
Under new MEES, all social homes will need to achieve at least an EPC C on a ‘fabric metric’ and then on either a ‘clean heating’ or ‘smart readiness’ metric, by 2030.
The consultation closes on 10th September 2025, and full details of the proposals can be found here.
Government consultation on rent convergence
The Government is also currently consulting on how to reintroduce rent convergence, as part of a 10-year rent policy set to take effect from April 2026.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking views on whether rents should be permitted to rise by £1 or £2 per week, in addition to CPI+1%, to allow homes which have never reached target rent, to do so.
The consultation also seeks to understand what the reintroduction of convergence would mean for landlord plans for investing in new and existing homes, as well as what the impacts would be on individual households.
The consultation is available here and is open until 27th August 2025.
