The Decent Homes Standard has been developed by the government as a benchmark for the quality of housing. It stipulates that a home should be warm, weatherproof and have reasonably modern facilities.
There is a separate aim to reduce the proportion of vulnerable households, particularly those with children, living in non-decent homes in the private rental sector.
Environmental health practitioners are at the forefront of work to achieve this target, developing and implementing renewal strategies to bring areas of poor housing up to the Decent Homes Standard. Working in partnership with other organisations including Home Improvement Agencies, EHPs offer assistance, advice and encouragement to homeowners, backed up by the use of enforcement powers when necessary.
In 2009 the CIEH gave both written evidence and oral evidence to the House of Commons Communities and Local Government Inquiry “Beyond Decent Homes.” The Committee’s report was published in March 2010.
As part of its work to promote the Decent Homes standard the CIEH is currently supporting a campaign to improve energy efficiency within private rented properties. Details of the campaign are encapsulated in a parliamentary Early Day Motion tabled by John Leech MP.