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The aim of this page is to provide some background information so that owners, private sector landlords and managing agents will be aware of the changes introduced in the Housing Act 2004.

 

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (the HHSRS) replaces the Housing Fitness Standard, and significantly changes the way housing conditions are assessed. The Act also introduces licensing for certain houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), for example, hostels, bedsits, flats and some shared houses; and some major changes to the way in which local authorities take action against unacceptable housing conditions in the private sector.

 

These changes were introduced on 6 April 2006.

 

More detailed guidance is available from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).  Please see the links at the bottom of this page.

The HHSRS is a new risk assessment tool used to assess potential risks to the health and safety of occupants of any type of dwelling. It can also be applied to an empty dwelling.

The new assessment method focuses on the hazards that are most likely to be present in housing. It looks at the likelihood of a dangerous incident arising from the condition of the property and the likely harmful outcome. The assessment is always carried out for the age group most vulnerable to the hazard in question.

Where there are hazards, the assessment could show the presence of serious (Category 1) hazards and other less serious (Category 2) hazards.

 

The overall principle behind the HHSRS is that all dwellings (including the building structure, outbuildings, gardens, yards and access routes), should provide a safe and healthy environment for the people who live in and visit them. Dwellings should be free from unnecessary and avoidable hazards/dangers or, if they are unavoidable, they should be made as safe as reasonably possible.

 

 

1	Damp & Mould Growth	Threats to mental & physical well-being from living with dampness, mould & fungal growths and dust mites Most Vulnerable: 14 years or less
2	Excess Cold	Threats to health from exposure to sub-optimal indoor temperatures. Most Vulnerable: 65 years plus
3	Excess heat	Caused by excessively high indoor temperatures. Most Vulnerable: 65 years plus
4	Asbestos & MMF	Caused by exposure to asbestos and manufactures mineral fibres (MMF) Most Vulnerable: no specific group
5	Biocides	Threats to health from those chemicals used to treat mould growth and timber in dwellings. Most Vulnerable: no specific group
6	Carbon Monoxide & Fuel Combustion Products	Hazards due to high levels of Carbon Monoxide. Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulphur Dioxide & smoke in the atmosphere. Most Vulnerable: For CO – 65 years plus, for NO²,SO² & smoke – no specific group
7	Lead	Threats to health from the ingestion of lead Most Vulnerable: Under 3 years
8	Radiation	Threats to health from radon gas, airborne, or dissolved in water. Eg leakage from microwaves might be considered. Most Vulnerable: People aged 60-64 who have had a lifetime exposure to radon
9	Uncombusted Fuel Gas	The threat of asphyxiation due to fuel gas escaping into the atmosphere within a dwelling. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
10	Volatile Organic Compounds	VOCs are diverse group of organic chemicals which includes formaldehyde that are gaseous at room temperature, and are found in a variety of materials within the home. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
11	Crowding and Space	Health hazards linked to a lack of living space for sleeping and a normal family household life. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
12	Entry by Intruders	Problems keeping a dwelling secure against unauthorised entry, and the maintenance of defensible space. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
13	Lighting	Threats to physical and mental health linked to inadequate natural light and/or artificial light. It includes the psychological effect associated with the view from the dwelling through glazing. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
14	Noise	Threats to physical and mental health caused by noise exposure inside the dwelling or within its curtilage. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
15	Domestic Hygiene, Pests & Refuse	Health hazards due to poor design, layout and construction to the point where the dwelling cannot really be kept clean and hygienic; access into and harbourage within dwelling for pests; inadequate and unhygienic provision for storing and disposal of household waste. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
16	Food Safety	Threats to infection due to inadequate facilities for the storage, preparation and cooking of food. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
17	Personal Hygiene, Sanitation & Drainage	Threats of infection and threats to mental health associated with personal hygiene, including personal washing and clothes washing facilities, sanitation and drainage. Most Vulnerable: Under 5 years
18	Water Supply for Domestic Purposes	The quality and adequacy of the water supply for drinking and for domestic purposes such as cooking, washing, cleaning and sanitation. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
19	Falls Associated with Baths etc	Falls associated with a bath, shower or similar facility. Most Vulnerable: 60 years plus
20	Falls on the Level	Falls on any level surface such as floors, yards and paths. It also includes falls associated with trip steps, thresholds or ramps, where the change in level is less than 300mm. Most Vulnerable: 60 years plus
21	Falls associated with Stairs and Steps	Falls associated with stairs, steps and ramps where the change in level is greater than 300mm. It includes falls on stairs or internal ramps within the dwelling, internal common stairs or ramps, within a building, access to the dwelling and to shared facilities or means of escape in case of fire. It also includes falls over stair, step or ramp guarding (balustrading). Most Vulnerable: 60 years plus
22	Falls between Levels	Falls from one level to another, inside or outside a dwelling, where the difference in levels is more than 300mm. Eg falls out of windows, falls from balconies or landings, falls from accessible roofs, into basement wells, and over garden retaining walls. Most Vulnerable: Under 5 years
23	Electrical Hazards	Hazards from electric shock or electric shock or electricity burns, including from lightning strikes. Most Vulnerable: Under 5 years
24	Fire	Threats from uncontrolled fire and smoke. It includes injuries from clothing catching alight, which appears to be common when people attempt to put out a fire. It does not include clothing catching alight from a controlled a fire by reaching across a gas flame or an open fire used for space heating. Most Vulnerable: 60 years plus
25	Hot Surfaces & Materials	Burns or injuries caused by contact with a hot flame or fire, and contact with hot objects or hot non-water based liquids, and scalds – injuries caused by contact with hot liquids and vapours. It includes burns caused by clothing catching alight from a controlled fire or flame. Most Vulnerable: Under 5 years
26	Collision & Entrapment	This includes risks of physical injury from: Trapping body parts in architectural features, eg trapping limbs or fingers in doors/windows; Colliding with objects eg glazing, windows, doors, low ceilings and walls. Most Vulnerable: Under 5 years
27	Explosions	Threat from the blast of an explosion, from debris generated from the blast, and from the partial or total collapse of a building as the result of an explosion. Most Vulnerable: No specific group
28	Ergonomics	Threat of physical strain associated with functional space and other features at dwellings. Most Vulnerable: 60 years plus
29	Structural Collapse & Falling Elements	The threat of the dwelling collapsing, or a part of the fabric falling because of inadequate fixing or disrepair, or as a result of adverse weather conditions. Structural failure may occur internally or externally. Most Vulnerable: No specific group

 

Housing Officers will carry out assessments. Local Authorities are responsible for ensuring that their officers have the skills to perform efficiently on behalf of the authority. Inspectors must follow the HHSRS methodology and will make reference to the HHSRS ‘Operating Guidance’ provided by the government to ensure a high degree of consistency countrywide.

 

Which properties will be assessed?

The HHSRS assessment and any enforcement action taken as a result can be considered to be separate.  However, they are also linked and this flowchart shows how one will follow the other.