Thousands of homes fail “Decent Homes Standard” in Southwark, new survey finds

A new stock condition survey has found that 10% of Southwark’s council homes fail to meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, raising fresh concerns about housing conditions across the borough. 

The survey inspected an initial 4,271 properties, identifying a significant number of homes that do not meet minimum requirements for safety, repair and modern living. If extrapolated across the 36,000 homes the council manages - thousands of homes could be found to be “non-decent”.

The findings come despite a warning from the Regulator of Social Housing, which in its November 2024 inspection said the proportion of non-decent homes in Southwark could be as high as 30%. 

The Decent Homes Standard is the Government’s minimum benchmark for social housing. To qualify as “decent”, a home must be free from serious hazards, be in a reasonable state of repair, have reasonably modern facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms, and provide effective insulation and heating. Homes that fail any of these criteria are classified as non-decent. 

In their local election manifesto, the Liberal Democrats have committed to a full root and branch review of the housing department, make developers deliver 50% genuinely affordable housing, and build more council homes. 

Commenting, Southwark Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Victor Chamberlain said: 

“Residents will be shocked but not surprised that so many council homes are failing to meet even the most basic standard. 

The Decent Homes Standard is the bare minimum people should expect: a safe, warm home in a reasonable state of repair. Yet far too many tenants in Southwark are being let down. 

It's no wonder so many people have lost trust in this Labour council who have let them down for 16 years. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Liberal Democrats have a plan to fix Southwark, and transform Labour’s rotten housing department into a service that delivers for residents.”