Numbers of non-decent homes and Category 1 hazards in the PRS have fallen in recent years, although problems with damp are on the rise.

The government’s latest English Housing Survey for 2023 reveals that – contrary to the narrative from some tenants’ groups – the sector has seen an improvement in standards.

There was a reduction in the prevalence of Category 1 hazards, from 14% to 10%, and in non-decent homes compared to pre-pandemic estimates, down from 23% to 21% - although this is still by far the highest of all housing categories.

In 2023, 5% of homes in England had a problem with damp, higher than in any of the last five years (3-4%) and this was more prevalent in the private rented sector (9%), compared with the social rented sector (7%) and owner-occupied sector (4%).

The survey findings show that compared to a decade ago, there are fewer non-decent and unsafe homes, and more homes in the highest energy efficiency bands A to C across the sectors, up from 23% to 52%.

Damp and mould

However, it adds: “We have seen increases in levels of damp and mould and have also observed changes to the space available in homes and the size of households that could have knock-on effects for housing quality.”

There was a slight drop in the number of bedrooms available in the rented sector, which it says is partly responsible for the fall in under-occupation levels, down from 16% in 2022-23 to 13% in 2023-24.

“It could also be related to the slight increases we have seen in average overcrowding levels (3%). Overcrowding can be related to affordability issues, as well as correlated to housing quality issues such as a higher incidence of damp and mould.”

Read the survey results in full.