One in six homes in Brighton and Hove failed to meet decent standards, new figures show.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ English Housing Survey revealed 17 per cent of all 123,119 occupied homes in Brighton and Hove could either pose a risk to residents’ health or life, are in a bad state of repair, are cold or lack modern facilities.

The rate was higher than the average of 15 per cent across the country.

Across the country, 3.6 million homes were deemed “non-decent” and across England the proportion of privately rented homes found to be in bad condition was twice as high as social housing homes, with 23 per cent compared with 11 per cent.

Matt Copeland, head of policy at NEA, said current incentives and regulations are not sufficient to get landlords to improve their properties.

He added the government had promised to consult on increasing the minimum energy efficiency standard of privately rented properties, but there has been no further development on this.

“Behind the statistics and targets are real lives being ruined by cold, damp housing,” he said.

In Brighton and Hove, 20 per cent of private rented homes were deemed non-decent and 14 per cent of all social homes.

Across the country, nine per cent of all 23.9 million homes had category one hazards observed, which are the most serious hazards. The figure stood at seven per cent in Brighton and Hove.

David Finch, assistant director in the healthy lives directorate at the Health Foundation, said non-decent homes are putting potentially vulnerable people at significant risk of health problems.

He added progress in improving the quality of homes has stalled and that the existing Decent Homes Standard is increasingly outdated.

A DLUHC spokesman said: “Our landmark Renters Reform Bill is progressing through Parliament. The Bill will deliver a fairer private rented sector for both responsible tenants and good faith landlords.

“Everyone has the right to a warm, secure and decent home, and we expect landlords to meet our energy efficiency standards before letting properties.

“We are introducing a Decent Homes Standard in the private rented sector for the first time and also bringing in the Social Housing (Regulation) Act, which will deliver significant changes across the sector to ensure landlords are held to account for their performance.”