Reviewed: 23 September 2026 | Applies to: private landlords and letting agents in England. General information only, not a property inspection, HHSRS assessment, enforcement prediction or legal advice for a particular home.
HHSRS is the statutory framework councils in England use to assess housing-health and safety hazards and decide whether enforcement action is appropriate. It helps a landlord understand the framework, but it is not a do-it-yourself score, a periodic inspection timetable or a substitute for competent advice. For the wider legal duties around repair reports and putting disrepair right, see landlord repair responsibilities. For the wider England-led compliance picture, use the Landlord Regulation Guide.
What HHSRS is, and what it does not do
Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 provides the system for assessing the condition of residential premises and enforcing housing standards by reference to category 1 and category 2 hazards. A hazard is a risk to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier that arises from a deficiency in the dwelling, HMO or relevant nearby building or land.
The current government landlord and agent guide describes HHSRS as a risk-based assessment tool. An assessor uses the statutory method and professional judgement to assess potential harm. That is different from a landlord deciding a score, predicting a council outcome or treating a short list of items as proof that a home is safe.
HHSRS also does not replace the separate repair, gas, electrical, alarm, licensing or other duties that may apply. A condition can require attention under those duties even though this page cannot say how a council would categorise it. Equally, an HHSRS assessment is not a general repair workflow or a guarantee that one particular remedy will be required.
The 21 hazards: an awareness view, not a self-assessment
The HHSRS covers 21 prescribed hazard descriptions. The list was updated by the 2026 HHSRS amendment regulations, which came into force on 23 June 2026 and amalgamated several earlier descriptions.
At a high level, the descriptions include conditions such as damp and mould, excess cold or heat and indoor air pollutants; living conditions such as crowding and space, hygiene and water supply; and accident or safety risks including falls, electricity, fire and explosions, collision or entrapment, and structural collapse. The precise descriptions and assessment method are set in the regulations and statutory guidance. This overview is deliberately not an inspection checklist, technical diagnosis or a list of works for a particular property.
The statutory categories are about assessed risk. A category 1 hazard is the high-risk category. Category 2 covers medium- and low-risk hazards under the current regulations. A home can have more than one hazard and the facts, the relevant statutory method and the council’s assessment matter. Do not use examples or case studies to self-score a home.
How a council may inspect and decide enforcement
A local housing authority keeps housing conditions in its district under review. Where it considers an inspection appropriate to determine whether a category 1 or 2 hazard exists, the Housing Act requires it to arrange one. The government landlord guide says inspections are often arranged after a report of a health and safety risk, a referral from another agency or as part of a proactive programme.
After an HHSRS assessment, a council must take the appropriate enforcement action if it considers that a category 1 hazard exists. For a category 2 hazard, it has powers to take enforcement action. The available statutory routes include notices, orders and, in defined circumstances, emergency measures. Which route, if any, is appropriate depends on the assessed hazard and the statutory framework. The council must give reasons when it decides to take relevant enforcement action.
The current HHSRS enforcement guidance is statutory guidance for local authorities in England. It explains their duties and powers under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004. It is not a basis for a landlord to predict an inspection, notice, penalty or appeal result.
Landlord records and response: practical preparation
Good records help a landlord respond clearly to a tenant report, a contractor’s finding or a formal council request. They do not replace an assessor’s judgement or settle responsibility in a dispute.
- Record condition reports, tenant communications and the action taken, with dates that reflect what actually happened.
- Keep relevant property, tenancy, repair and safety documents in an organised form, including documents a council may lawfully request.
- Where a concern needs technical input, obtain it from a suitably qualified professional and retain the advice and resulting work records.
- Read any council correspondence or formal notice carefully, preserve the evidence it identifies and clarify the scope with the issuing authority where needed.
- Keep the response proportionate to the actual issue. This is not a prompt to self-assess every part of a property or assume that every HHSRS hazard has one prescribed solution.
When specialist or legal help is appropriate
Use competent housing, surveying or technical advice where a condition may involve a material health or safety risk, where the cause or remedy is uncertain, or where works need specialist design or certification. A landlord or agent facing a formal notice, proposed enforcement action, an access issue or a dispute about responsibility should obtain advice suited to the document and facts. This guide cannot interpret a notice, decide a hazard category or advise on a live enforcement case.
Common misunderstandings
- “HHSRS is a landlord inspection checklist.” No. It is a statutory risk-assessment and enforcement framework, with an assessment method for trained assessors.
- “A tenant report automatically determines the enforcement result.” No. A report can lead to council consideration or inspection, but the authority’s assessment and statutory decision-making determine the next step.
- “Only category 1 hazards matter.” No. Category 1 creates the council’s duty to take appropriate action; a council also has enforcement powers for category 2 hazards.
- “HHSRS replaces every other property duty.” No. It sits alongside other duties and does not displace repair, safety, licensing or contractual questions that may need separate consideration.
- “The social-housing Awaab’s Law timetable applies here.” No. This England private-landlord guide is about HHSRS. It does not import social-housing requirements or future private-rented-sector rules.
Official sources
- GOV.UK: Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS): Landlord and agent guide, published 23 June 2026 and clarified on 16 September 2026; applies to England.
- Housing Act 2004, Part 1, latest available revised text: the statutory assessment and enforcement framework, including category 1 and category 2 hazards.
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations 2005, latest available revised text, read with the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2026.
- GOV.UK: HHSRS enforcement guidance, statutory guidance for local authorities in England, published 23 June 2026.
