Mid-Term Inspections Are Becoming a Compliance Record, Not a Courtesy

Mid-term inspections have long been treated as good practice — a chance to check in on a property and flag maintenance issues early. Two recent developments mean they now carry real regulatory and evidential weight, and landlords who still treat them as optional are taking on risk they don’t need to.

The Decent Homes Standard is coming to the private rented sector

The government confirmed on 28 January 2026 that the Decent Homes Standard will be extended to the private rented sector by 2035. The standard is built around five criteria:

• A — Safety: free from Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
• B — Reasonable repair: the property is in a reasonable state throughout
• C — Facilities: reasonably modern facilities, and safe windows
• D — Heating and energy efficiency: effective heating and reasonable thermal comfort
• E — Damp and mould: free from serious damp and mould

Criterion E in particular is described as proactive rather than reactive — landlords will be expected to identify and address damp and mould risk before it becomes a hazard, not simply respond once a tenant complains. That shift from reactive to proactive is exactly what a regular inspection regime is built to support.

Awaab’s Law — not yet in the private rented sector, but worth watching

Awaab’s Law took effect in the social housing sector in October 2025, setting strict timescales for landlords to investigate and fix damp and mould hazards. It has not yet been extended to the private rented sector, and landlords should be wary of anything suggesting otherwise — but given the direction of travel with the Decent Homes Standard, it would be prudent to plan as though similar obligations are coming.

Periodic tenancies make inspections part of your evidence trail

Since 1 May 2026, all assured tenancies are open-ended periodic tenancies under the Renters’ Rights Act, with no fixed end date to anchor a review of the property’s condition. Propertymark recommends regular mid-tenancy inspections precisely because they build an ongoing audit trail across what could now be a tenancy running for years, rather than relying solely on the check-in and check-out reports at either end.

What a useful inspection actually records

A mid-term inspection that will hold up as evidence — whether for a Decent Homes Standard requirement or a deposit dispute down the line — needs to go beyond a quick walk-through. It should capture:

• Overall condition and cleanliness compared to the last visit
• Damp, condensation and mould specifically, room by room
• Evidence of ventilation being used (or not)
• Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — present and functioning
• Any deterioration since the previous inspection
• Developing maintenance issues before they become urgent repairs
• Garden and outside areas
• Any verbal reports or concerns raised by the tenant during the visit

With both compliance obligations and tenancy lengths trending the same direction, a properly documented mid-term inspection is no longer a courtesy call — it’s becoming the backbone of a landlord’s evidence that the property has been safely and reasonably maintained throughout.