Northern Ireland launches first review of Decent Homes Standard in two decades

According to the Department for Communities’ (DfC) consultation document, the updated standard will take a more “holistic” approach and focus on a wider scope of elements that make a home decent, such as external areas and communal space.

It will also set a new baseline for investigating and completing maintenance work.

Mr Lyons said: “I am committed to protecting the health and well-being of families and individuals living in social homes across Northern Ireland. This review will update the housing standard to meet the needs of modern living.

“The consultation sets out a range of proposals to improve the condition, energy efficiency, affordability and safety of homes. I encourage everyone with an interest in social housing, including tenants, landlords and representative groups, to share their views and help shape the future of homes across Northern Ireland.”

The DHS is currently divided up into four main criteria covering the statutory minimum fitness standard for housing: repairs, modern facilities, services and thermal comfort.

Any property that does not meet all four criteria will be deemed to have failed the standard. The DfC is proposing to introduce a fifth pillar, requiring homes to “be safe, secure, sustainable and promote well-being”.

Some of the changes in the DHS will be “desirable”, representing best practice guidance, while other criteria will be mandatory.

Examples of desirable elements include consideration of climate change effects, gardens or outside space, adequate bin storage and provision for recycling, adequate storage, laundry areas and enough floor space for “normal daily activities”.

Mandatory elements include reasonable adjustments in homes for older people or disabled people and insulation to protect against noise.

It also suggests mandatory requirements to provide durable and slip-resistant flooring in kitchens and bathrooms, and for all windows at first floor level or above to mitigate the risk of falls.

The DHS was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2004 and there have been no updates since. Consultation documents for the review said the DHS is now “below the minimum standard” introduced in other UK jurisdictions and has not kept pace with building standards.

In England, a review of the DHS took place in 2023 with a focus on potentially applying the standard to the private rented sector. A consultation on a new DHS launched recently, with a focus to ensure safe, secure housing in both social and private rented sectors. 

The DfC’s consultation will run from 26 November 2025 to 4 March 2026.