Recently, the UK is considering extending decent home standards to the private rental sector, with landlords required to register and declare compliance with the standards on a property portal, or face significant penalties. In this context, the role of inventory clerks becomes crucial, as they conduct regular inspections and provide professional reports, helping landlords stay informed about the condition of their properties and take necessary actions.

The proposed bill, currently awaiting its second reading in the lower house, aims to extend decent home standards to the private rental sector, as revealed by the 2021 UK Housing Survey, which indicates that around 23% of social housing falls under the category of "non-decent" homes.

As a result, the government aims to improve the standard of social housing by introducing more regulation and minimum standards, ensuring tenants have access to safer and higher-quality housing. This initiative is part of the government's mission to halve the number of non-decent rental homes by 2030.

As part of the bill, a landlord property portal will be introduced, mandating all landlords to register their properties on the platform and declare compliance with the decent home standards. Making false declarations could result in fines of up to £30,000.

Nick Lyons, Managing Director of NoLettingGo, an inventory and property inspection specialist, believes that inventory clerks are ideally positioned to protect landlords from the risk of fines. He emphasizes that inventory clerks already conduct pre-tenancy, mid-term, and end-of-tenancy inspections, providing professional reports. Extending this service to assess decent standards would be a logical addition.

For many landlords, who may be abroad or occupied with other commitments, keeping track of the condition of each property in their portfolio can be challenging. Regular inspections, therefore, become a vital component of any rental business. Inventory clerks can alert landlords to potential issues before they escalate and potentially breach the law, providing them with a safeguard.

While the specific details of decent home standards for social housing are yet to be included in the draft legislation, the government has indicated that further measures will be formulated at the appropriate time. Currently, the standards for the social sector outline that housing must be free from health and safety hazards, in good repair, equipped with appropriate facilities, and adequately warm.

Although some specifics are yet to be finalized, the government aims to introduce more regulation and minimum standards in the social rental housing system, including measures to prevent damp and mold and enforce minimum energy efficiency standards. This will contribute to improving the living conditions of tenants and addressing the issue of substandard housing in local communities.

Inventory clerks play a critical role in safeguarding landlords from hefty fines. Leveraging their expertise and experience, they provide monitoring and reports, ensuring landlords comply with legal requirements and prompting them to take necessary action before problems arise. With the proposed extension of decent home standards in the Tenant Reform Act, inventory services will become an integral part of rental businesses, offering landlords additional protection while enhancing the overall living experience for tenants.