The Housing Health and Safety Rating System, or HHSRS, method of assessing hazards in housing was simplified on 23 June 2026, when the The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 came into force. The number of hazards has reduced from 29 to 21, and a new scoring system and baseline indicators are now in force.
HHSRS was originally introduced in 2006. It was a complex risk-assessment system used by local councils to identify 29 separate potential hazards, and scoring them using bands A to J, with A being the most dangerous and life-threatening.
The revised HHSRS follows an extensive review led by RH Environmental (now RHE Global) to “bring it up to date, empower landlords and tenants to engage with the system, ensure alignment with other legislative standards and systems, including the Building Safety Act, and help with the effective enforcement of housing standards”.
The intention is to make the system easier to understand and apply, and not to raise the bar.
This post explains what HHSRS is, including the difference between Category 1 and Category 2 hazards, and the five key changes to HHSRS, including the new baseline indicators and the civil penalty. It also explains the new civil penalty regime for Category 1 hazards.
The new HHSRS at a glance
What is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)?
The HHSRS is a risk assessment tool which councils use to decide whether a home is safe and healthy to live in. It was introduced by Part I of the Housing Act 2004, which came into force in 2006, and applies to all rental property in England.
A council officer inspects a property, identifies hazards that may threaten the health or safety of people living in an individual property, and generates a numerical score to show the overall risk the hazard poses.
What is a hazard?
Section 2 of the Housing Act 2004 defines a hazard as “any risk of harm to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier of a dwelling or HMO which arises from a deficiency in the dwelling or HMO or in any building or land in the vicinity (whether the deficiency arises as a result of the construction of any building, an absence of maintenance or repair, or otherwise)”.
For each hazard, the assessor imagines the home occupied by the age group most at risk from that particular hazard (the over-60s for a fall on the level, the under-fives for a fall from a window) and scores the risk to them.
Consequently an empty property can be assessed, and the score does not change when tenants change.
What is a “deficiency” for the purposes of HHSRS?
According to the government guidance for landlords, “deficiencies” are aspects of a property which are “less than ideal either because they were poorly designed or constructed or because they have not been maintained adequately”.
What is a Category 1 hazard?
A Category 1 hazard is a serious hazard that scores as “High”, where the score is over 1,000.
The council has a legal duty to take enforcement action if they find a Category 1 hazard.
What is a Category 2 hazard?
If a hazard scores under 1,000, but still gives cause for concern, it is deemed a “Category 2 hazard”. In this case, the council has the discretion to take action to reduce the risk to health from that hazard.
>> Government Guidance: Landlord and agent guide to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System
How HHSRS changed in June 2026
The detail of the new HHSRS is set out in The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026, and in revised guidance.
Here is an overview of the five key changes to HHSRS that came into force on 23 June 2026:
1. The 29 hazards are now 21 hazards
The 29 hazards under the previous system have been reduced to a range of 21 hazards that may “threaten the health or safety of occupiers in an individual residential dwelling”.
Here are the 21 new HHSRS hazards, grouped under the four headings:
| The 21 HHSRS Hazards (2026) |
|---|
| Protection against accidents 1. Falls on the level 2. Falling on stairs etc. 3. Falling between levels 4. Fire and explosions 5. Flames, hot surfaces, etc. 6. Collisions, entrapment and ergonomics 7. Structural collapse and falling elements 8. Electrical hazards |
| Physiological requirements 9. Excess cold 10. Radiation 11. Damp and mould growth 12. Lead 13. Indoor air pollutants 14. Excess heat 15. Asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres |
| Protection against infection 16. Domestic hygiene 17. Water supply |
| Psychological requirements 18. Crowding and space 19. Entry by intruders 20. Noise 21. Lighting |
>> Useful worked examples: Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS): Case studies
2. Bands A to J are now High, Medium and Low
Previously, hazard scores were classified under 10 bands (A to J), which meant very little to landlords or tenants. The new system has three bands: High (score 1,000+), Medium (100-999), and Low (under 100). The descriptor terms are colour-coded. The Category 1 and Category 2 threshold stays the same (1,000), so “High” equals Category 1. But Medium and Low replace the old D through J bands.
The new system has simplified the bands to three, with “descriptive titles which are easier to understand for those with no formal training in the HHSRS”.
These new HHSRS bands are:
- High: Category 1 hazards, scoring over 1,000 (previously bands A – C)
- Medium: Category 2 hazards with a score between 100 and 999 (previously D – F)
- Low: Category 2 hazards scoring up to 99 (previously G – J).
The division between Category 1 and 2 hazards for enforcement action hasn’t changed. What has changed is the labelling into High, Medium and Low, which are easier to understand than the letters A to J.
3. New names for the 4 classes of harm
The 4 classes of harm have changed from Classes I to IV into descriptive labels. Here are the new 4 classes of harm, with illustrative examples from the government operating guidance:
- Extreme: death, lung cancer, permanent paralysis below the neck, regular severe pneumonia, permanent loss of consciousness, 80% burn injuries
- Severe: cardio-respiratory disease such as asthma and non-malignant respiratory diseases, lead poisoning, anaphylactic shock, cryptosporidiosis, Legionnaires disease, myocardial infarction, mild stroke, chronic confusion, regular severe fever, loss of a hand or foot, serious fractures, serious burns, loss of consciousness for days.
- Serious: eye disorders, rhinitis, hypertension, sleep disturbance, neuropsychological impairment, sick building syndrome, regular and persistent dermatitis including contact dermatitis, allergy, gastro-enteritis, diarrhoea, vomiting, chronic severe stress, mild heart attack, malignant but treatable skin cancer, loss of a finger, fractured skull, severe concussion, serious puncture wounds to head or body, severe burns to hands, serious strain or sprain injuries, regular severe migraine.
- Moderate: pleural plaques, occasional severe discomfort, benign tumours, occasional mild pneumonia, broken finger, slight concussion, moderate cuts to face or body, severe bruising to body, regular serious coughs, or colds.
4. The definition of “prescribed fire hazard” has been broadened
The HHSRS Regulations 2026 defines “prescribed fire hazard” as follows:
(a) exposure to uncontrolled fire and associated smoke and fumes,
(b) an explosion, or
(c) the collapse of the whole or part of a building as a result of fire or an explosion
This broader definition adds fumes, explosions, and fire- or explosion-related building collapse to what was previously fire and smoke alone.
There is also a Supplementary Guide to the Hazard of Fire and Explosions.
5. The introduction of baseline indicators
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System Operating Guidance (Part 2) introduces new baseline indicators, which are “not a mandatory set of requirements for dwellings but instead provide a prescriptive, but non-exhaustive, list of proportionate building measures designed to protect the health, safety, and wellbeing of occupiers […] designed to address common health related housing deficiencies”. They are designed to be applied to “most property types and ages”.
They are not minimum standards, and they do not replace the assessor’s risk assessment. But where a property falls short of a relevant baseline indicator, that counts as a deficiency, and deficiencies feed into the scoring.
Here are some direct quotes from selected baseline indicators to give a flavour.
- Heating. Every dwelling shall have a properly installed heating system in good and safe working condition that is capable of safely and adequately heating all habitable rooms, bathrooms and WC rooms. The system must be capable of heating the main living area to 21°C and the remaining habitable rooms to a temperature of 18°C when the external temperature is minus 1°C.
- Damp.
- Every foundation, roof, roofing component, exterior wall, floor, door, skylight and window shall be watertight, weathertight, free of persistent dampness or moisture and in good condition.
- The building’s drainage system, such as footing or foundation drains, gutters, downspouts, rainwater collection containers or other elements shall direct water away from the structure.
- No single room in any of the property shall have an observable level of damp or mould growth or deterioration of internal finishes that exceeds 5% of the wall and/or ceiling surface.
- Stairs. Every interior and exterior stairway with four or more risers shall have at least one structurally sound continuous handrail installed, between 900mm and 1000mm high, measured from the pitch line to the top of the handrail. The handrail shall be firmly fastened, capable of supporting a load of 140kg and in good condition.
- Windows above the ground floor. All windows with an opening section greater than 100mm, through which a person may fall a single storey or more, shall have a fall-prevention device that restricts opening to less than 100mm. It must be possible to overcome this restriction easily when the windows in question are required to be escape windows, under the building regulations.
- Smoke and heat detectors. “There should be sufficient, properly designed and appropriately sited smoke and heat detectors with alarms in every dwelling. These should be properly maintained and regularly tested”.
- Hot water. An adequate supply of heated running water shall be provided to sinks, washhand basins, baths and showers. Hot water storage tanks shall be set at a minimum temperature of 60°C. At bath taps and shower heads, the maximum temperature shall be 45°C to prevent accidental scalding.
The law firm Bishop & Sewell have published a useful self-assessment checklist for landlords and letting agents.
>> Useful Resource: Bishop & Sewell HHSRS Baseline Indicators Self-Assessment Checklist
>> Related Post: Landlord Guide: How to deal with damp and mould
What enforcement action can local authorities take over hazards?
Enforcement action refers to formal action which councils must take if they find a Category 1 hazard, and may take if they find a Category 2 hazard.
Here are the various types of enforcement action that councils may take against landlords and other “responsible persons”:
- Hazard awareness notice. Advisory only. It sets out the hazard and the council’s reasons and recommends the work to put it right, but it does not legally require anything to be done and is not a local land charge.
- Improvement notice.
- A formal notice requiring the work to be done and a set date for completion. The notice must give at least 28 days notice before the work has to start.
- An improvement notice is used where it’s possible to mitigate a hazard through works.
- It is an offence not to comply, unless the landlord or other person has “reasonable excuse”.
- Prohibition order.
- An order prohibiting use of all or part of the property, or restricting how many people, or which people, can live there.
- It comes into force 28 days after it is made.
- This is appropriate for a serious hazard where the work is impractical or cannot be done while the tenant is living there.
- Demolition order. For Category 1 hazards only, where demolition is the right course, for example a high risk of structural collapse or a site due for redevelopment.
- Clearance area. A council can declare an area a “clearance area” if they are satisfied that every residential property in an area has a Category 1 hazard, and any other buildings are dangerous or harmful to health.
Two further options apply only to a Category 1 hazard that poses an imminent risk of serious harm, and only where no management order is in force:
- Emergency remedial action. The council carries out the immediate work itself to make the property safe, for example urgent electrical work to exposed cables in a child’s bedroom, or a defective boiler flue discharging combustion products back into the home.
- Emergency prohibition order. The council prohibits use of all or part of the property straight away. Unlike an ordinary prohibition order, it comes into force on the day it is made.
When can councils impose civil penalties or “on the spot fines” for hazards
Paragraph 6 of Schedule 4 of the Renters’ Rights Act inserted a new Section 6A into the Housing Act 2004 which, with effect from 22 June 2026, enables the local authority to impose a civil penalty of up to £7,000 for Category 1 hazards. It does not apply to Category 2 hazards.
Although the government characterises this as giving councils the power to issue “on the spot fines”, there’s a lot more to it than issuing an on the spot parking ticket.
A council cannot impose a civil penalty for a Category 1 hazard unless:
- The council has taken enforcement action, such as an improvement notice or a prohibition order, in respect of a Category 1 hazard.
- The council must have concluded, in their reasonable opinion, that it had been “reasonably practicable for the responsible person to secure the removal of the hazard or the meeting of the requirement”.
Deciding whether it was reasonably practicable to remove the hazard
According to the guidance (page 30), local authorities should take into account the following when deciding whether it was reasonably practicable for the responsible person to have removed the hazard:
- how long they had known about the hazard
- whether practical steps could have been taken to remedy the hazard without disproportionate expense or disruption
- what steps they had taken to remove the hazard or reduce its impact, including any efforts made to secure the services of specialist tradespeople
- whether permission from other parties was needed to remove the hazard and the steps they had taken to obtain that permission
- whether tenants have provided access to the property in order for remedial works to be carried out.
What is the standard of proof for a Category 1 hazard civil penalty?
Local authorities must be satisfied “on the balance of probabilities” that there was a breach before imposing a civil penalty.
In other words, they must conclude that a breach is more likely to have occurred than not, based on the evidence provided.
Rights of appeal against a civil penalty for a Category 1 hazard
As with all civil penalties, there is a right of appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.
When a local authority serves a notice or order (other than a hazard awareness notice), they must tell the landlord or other relevant person that they have the right of appeal.
When can more than one civil penalty for hazards be imposed?
The draft guidance for local authorities says: “A local housing authority may impose a separate civil penalty for each category 1 hazard that has been identified in the same premises or may impose one civil penalty to cover multiple category 1 hazards”.
The guidance gives the example of the single deficiency of a broken boiler, which might cause category 1 hazards for both excess cold and damp and mould. “If the local authority is satisfied that both hazards can be attributed to the single deficiency of the broken boiler, it may be appropriate to impose a single civil penalty”.
On the other hand, if there are two entirely separate deficiencies, not linked to a single underlying deficiency, it might be appropriate for the local authority to impose multiple civil penalties. The guidance gives the examples of exposed wiring resulting in an electrical hazard and a damaged banister resulting in a fall between levels hazard.
How does HHSRS fit with the Decent Homes Standard?
Whereas HHSRS is a risk assessment tool, the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) sets five criteria to comprise the minimum standard for homes. The DHS is due to come into force for the private rented sector in 2035.
The Decent Homes Standard Policy Statement of January 2026 stated that for a home to be “decent” it must meet five criteria, the first of which is to be free of the most dangerous hazards.
The Policy Statement says: “To meet this criterion, homes must be free of health and safety hazards at the most dangerous ‘category 1’ level, assessed using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). Broadly, a category 1 hazard means that if the hazard is not remedied there will be a need for some medical attention in the next 12 months, i.e. a visit to a doctor or a hospital.”
Note that a decent home must also be in a reasonable state or repair, have core facilities and services, provide a “reasonable degree of thermal comfort” and be free of damp and mould.
>> Related Post: The Decent Homes Standard for private landlords in Renters’ Rights Act
Final thoughts
HHSRS is not new, and the duties for landlords behind it have not changed. HHSRS has applied to the private rented sector since its introduction in 2006 and the 2026 reforms are a simplification rather than a wholesale change. Fewer hazards, three plain bands in place of ten letters, and clearer names for the classes of harm all make the system easier to follow, and help assess whether the home is safe to live in.
For a landlord, the practical task is unchanged. Alongside the usual gas and electrical safety checks, every routine inspection is a chance to walk through the property with a critical eye, and look at the stairs, the heating, the wiring, the signs of damp and anything else that could harm someone. Also, when a tenant reports a problem, landlords and agents should respond quickly, see the repair through, and keep a record of what was done and when. As always, keep records of action taken.
A £7,000 civil penalty for a Category 1 hazard is a strong incentive to stay on top of it, but the better reason has nothing to do with enforcement. Keeping a property in good repair is not a box to tick for the council; it is someone’s home.
Good landlords remove dangerous walls, fix loose handrails or broken boilers because it matters to those living there, not because a council officer might one day inspect the property if a tenant complains. It’s part of looking after a property, and the people live in it. HHSRS sets out what landlords should already be doing to keep their properties safe.
Property standards and repair obligations are covered in detail in my bestselling book, The Good Landlord Handbook, which takes you through every stage of a tenancy under the Renters’ Rights Act.
Finally, if you have a question, you can ask me at the twice-monthly livestreams in my membership, The Independent Landlord Hub. I’m unable to answer questions in the comments or by email.
>> Related Post: Landlord repair obligations
>> Related Post: Free landlord mid-tenancy property inspection checklist
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Hi Suzanne,
I had my first selective licence council property inspection yesterday (under the old HHSRS system)!
All fine in my place and now ‘judged’ as ‘Satisfied with no concern.’ Which is a relief.
Thanks for the before and after pics. I see the ground level looks high vs. the window and paving slabs on the ground with no damp course. The painted brickwork can make the bricks and mortar difficult to ‘breathe’. Does that room not have any damp problems on the inside?
Hi, thankfully no damp problems with this property. Congratulations on your satisfactory inspection!
So if the tenant cannot open an upstairs window…how can they escape if there is a fire? I have a tenanted house with a large window as a fire escape for the tenant. That was part of the plans when it was built. No children live in the house.
A correct window opener / restrictor means it will open wider in an emergency.
LL may not rent to a T with child….but an excited toddler can visit, scamper around, squeeze under gaps too wide in a balcony railing /stair balustrade or leap through a wide opening window.
But all part of your existing Risk Assessment anyway. Right?
I find it extraordinary that a window restrictor on a sash window should be no more than 10 cm. I would’ve thought 20 cm the best way to use a sash Window is to open it at the bottom and also at the top that would mean 5 cm which hardly is opening a window.
The gap measurement for windows / railings / bunkbeds etc etc is based around the narrowest width of the skull a young mobile child. So less than 20cm….
If the tank is set to 60C and there is not a mixer tap but a hot and cold bath tap I dont see how the temperature can be regulated to be no more than 45C.
Completely agree, I was going to ask the same question. Does this mean we have to scrap normal kitchen taps and have a temperature controlled mixer tap instead. If it was limited to 45 degrees I am sure the tenant would consider it a health hazard if they could not use really hot water to clean their dishes.
A tempering valve can be fitted under the bath. this introduces cold water into the hot flow to regulate the temperature to the desire level at the tap.
Question about handrails. 3 storey town house built approximately 1970. Enclosed straight staircase going up to second floor (i.e. walls either side of stairs). This has never had a handrail. Would I be required to fit a handrail according to HHSRS regulations?
Smooth walls need a handrail as theres nothing for hands to grip when we have a wobble.
Does anyone have a good template one can use to record H&S inspections?
Description / Risk / Score / Code / Action / Risk after action as an example.
MHCLG will be issuing landlord guidance, so I’ll keep my eyes out for something. Otherwise, you might ask organisations like DASH Services and RHE Global if they have something
I am really struggling to understand the HHSRS window opening restriction regulations. I have a building with 13 bedsits and 3 flats in a conservation area. It has over 60 wooden windows, and there is one of each type imaginable but predominatly vertical sliding sash windows with the panes upgraded to take double glazed units. The panes are heavier now and I am putting standard sliding blots on the windows to keep them up in case the weights break to avoid injury, but I think I am going to have some serious opposition from the tenants if I put window restrictors on.
I have been trying to find the actual regulations, but I get conflicting advice every time I search – Does anyone know if the cable locks definately meet the requirements? I imagine the tenants will just disengage them anyway and then they can use them if they have any children visiting (which is highly unlikely in this building!)
So the device has to be applied to all upstairs windows and:
1. restrict opening to 100mm
2. be capable of disengaging
3. does it have to have a key or not?
One search I did stated that the lock had to re-engage every time the window closed but I think this was guidance for care homes. I hope so, because that would be pretty much impossible! Would appreciate any information. Thanks
Good question, I am following with interest. I have assumed a window lock to be sufficient (also cheap, effective when used properly and easy to retro-fit) BUT not fool proof.
Completely agree. I have removed these from a property as the new occupier does not and will not have children staying there. In the current hot weather ‘restrictors’ are particularly disliked especially as they re-engage every time the window is closed.
Easily removed with a cross head screwdriver and easily lost thereafter. I would like to know the extent to which the landlord can be held responsible for the tenant who removes these, just like when they remove batteries from smoke alarms, and sell the Co2 alarm you installed at a boot sale?
Is there no clossing door for kitchen or it opens into hallway, is that ok?
as I wanted to leave mine without one too from halfway into kitchen
Thanks Suzanne – that’s a really helpful explanation. On a point of clarification, I want to draw attention to the following point you make which isn’t quite right:
“Broadly, a category 1 hazard means that if the hazard is not remedied there will be a need for some medical attention in the next 12 months, i.e. a visit to a doctor or a hospital.”
This would equate to a likelihood score of 1 in 1 i.e. 100% chance of harm resulting from the hazard over the next 12 months. Category 1 hazards can arise from the combination of a lower likelihood and a spread of harm outcomes that results in a hazard score of over 1000.
This is helpfully illustrated in the new HHSRS case studies which were published this week at https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/housing-health-and-safety-rating-system-hhsrs-case-studies.
Picking out a Falls on Stairs example (Case Study A2.1) you can see that a category 1 hazard results from a likelihood score of 1 in 30 combined with the spread of harm outcomes that could result from a fall on those stairs.
The rationale is that even where a hazard is less likely and may only arise once in say 30 years, if the impact is a very serious injury or death, then there is still a clear rationale for reasonable/proportionate investment to reduce the hazard.
I hope that is useful feedback.