Housing across the UK is now subject to assessment under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004, using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). HHSRS is a tool for which defects in a property can be analysed and risks to health and safety from hazards can be removed or minimised.

It is the responsibility of the landlord and / or manager of the property to ensure that the property meets the requirements of all current legislation relating to housing standards, including the need to be aware of Planning and Building Control enforced matters.

Landlords and managers must also be aware of:

• The Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 (as amended)
• Defective Premises Act 1972
• Environmental Protection Act 1990

You can download the LACORS Landlord Development Manual  857Kb, for further information on Landlord's Responsibilities.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

The system enables the inspecting officer to identify defects, during an inspection at the property, relating to the 29 hazards summarised as follows:

• Dampness, excess cold / heat - If there is dampness in your property, it may be caused by condensation. Use this link to see our guidance on how to tell if the damp you have is caused by condensation, and how to reduce condensation in the home: Free your home from cold and damp  80Kb.
• Pollutants e.g. asbestos, carbon monoxide, lead
• Lack of space, security or lighting, or excessive noise
• Poor hygiene, sanitation, water supply
• Accidents – falls, electric shocks, fires, burns, scalds
• Collisions, explosions, structural collapse

For more infromation on hazards download The 29 Hazards: A Landlord's Guide  346Kb.

The inspecting officer will then be able to assess each hazard where there is a contributing defect, and determine a numerical score. If the score is high, the hazard is rated as a category 1 hazard, which the local authority has a duty to deal with. All other hazards are called category 2 hazards, which the local authority has discretionary powers to deal with.

For more information about the enforcement of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSR) use this link to download the Asset Skills Housing Health and Safety Rating System: Essential Information for Landlords and Agents  539Kb.

It is both important to meet required standards and to ensure that those standards are maintained. Regular good quality maintenance of the property reduces the costs that will arise from long-term neglect and deterioration and will help to attract and retain tenants.

The accommodation should be safe and suitable for use at the start of a tenancy and those standards should continue to be maintained by the landlord.

Good management of the property by the landlord must ensure that the behaviour of the tenants does not impact detrimentally upon the immediate neighbours or wider locality. For example, noise and accumulations of rubbish can be significant causes of concern for local residents.

Where properties fail to meet the required standards, the local authority will liase with landlords or managing agents to carry out necessary works. Where landlords or managing agents fail to cooperate with the local authority, there are a number of enforcement options available.

All gas installations and appliances must be safety checked and maintained annually by a suitably qualified CORGI (Council of Registered Gas Installers) registered gas installer and the installation must meet the requirements of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

All electrical installations should comply with the British Standard ‘BS 7671:2001 - Requirements for electrical installations’, with works being carried out by NICEIC  (National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting) registered contractors. For more infromation about this standard visit the British Standards website .

Contact us

For more information on our services, or to contact us for advice about housing standards, please contact us using the details below, or by using the form at the bottom of this page:

Housing Standards Team,
Housing and Advice Services,
PO Box 6323,
Derby,
DE1 2WW

Telephone: 01332 255 160
Minicom: 01332 255 316
Email: Housing.Standards@derby.gov.uk