Housing Health and Safety Rating System
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is the legal framework used by councils in England and Wales to assess whether a rented home is safe and free from serious hazards. It was introduced by the Housing Act 2004 and applies mainly to residential properties, including those let by private landlords and agents.
Under HHSRS, an environmental health officer inspects the property and looks at 29 categories of potential hazard, such as excess cold, damp and mould, fire safety, electrical risks, falls on stairs, overcrowding and entry by intruders. Each hazard is scored. The most serious are called Category 1 hazards. If a Category 1 hazard is found, the council must take action. For less serious Category 2 hazards it may act.
Councils can use various enforcement tools, including improvement notices, prohibition orders, emergency works and in serious or persistent cases prosecution or civil penalties. Tenants do not need to know the technical scoring, but they can report poor conditions to the council, who should then consider an HHSRS inspection.
The Renters’ Rights Act moves towards a clearer Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector, but HHSRS remains the core legal test when deciding whether a property is unacceptably unsafe or in serious disrepair.
