What is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System?
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System is the risk-based method councils use to assess hazards in homes, such as damp and mould, excess cold, falls and fire. Serious Category 1 hazards oblige the council to act, usually through an improvement notice, and landlords who fail to comply face penalties.
Read more in our guide: Why landlords are selling
Key facts at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Law | Housing Act 2004, Part 1 |
| Number of hazards | 29, grouped into physiological, psychological, infection and accident hazards |
| Category 1 | Most serious; the council must take action |
| Category 2 | Less serious; the council may take action |
| Common hazards in rented homes | Damp and mould, excess cold, falls on stairs, fire, electrical hazards |
| Enforcement | Improvement notices, prohibition orders, emergency remedial action, civil penalties up to £30,000 |
How HHSRS Works
An environmental health officer inspects the property and judges, for each hazard, the likelihood of harm over the next year and the range of likely outcomes. The result is a score that places the hazard in a band, with bands A to C being Category 1. The assessment is based on the most vulnerable likely occupant, for example the elderly for excess cold or young children for falls. The government has been reviewing HHSRS to simplify it, and its updated form underpins the Decent Homes Standard for private renting.
What Happens If Hazards Are Found
- Improvement notice: specified works within a set time. Failing to comply is an offence.
- Prohibition order: restricts use of all or part of the property.
- Emergency action: the council can carry out works and recover the cost.
- Penalties: civil penalties, rent repayment orders and, for serious cases, banning orders.
Notices may also be registered as local land charges, which show up on a buyer's search.
HHSRS and Selling
Open improvement notices, prohibition orders and recent enforcement must be disclosed and will be found on searches. They reduce what investors will pay and can delay exchange until the works are signed off. Fixing hazards before marketing, or pricing the portfolio with the works in mind, avoids last-minute renegotiation. See also Awaab's Law and disrepair claims.
Official Sources and Further Reading
General information for landlords in England, checked against official sources in October 2026. It is not tax, legal or financial advice: speak to a qualified accountant or solicitor about your own circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System is the risk-based method councils use to assess hazards in homes, such as damp and mould, excess cold, falls and fire. Serious Category 1 hazards oblige the council to act, usually through an improvement notice, and landlords who fail to comply face penalties.
The most serious level of hazard under HHSRS. If a council finds one, it must take enforcement action, usually requiring the landlord to carry out works.
Yes, but the notice must be disclosed and will usually show on searches. Buyers will either want the works done first or reduce their offer.
29 hazards, including damp and mould, excess cold, falls, fire, electrical hazards and overcrowding.
Thinking About Selling Your Portfolio?
Ask for a no-obligation portfolio appraisal, or call us to talk through your options in confidence.