Landlords and letting agents are being urged to understand the revamped Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) after the government updated its guidance this month. The updated guidance aims to clarify how the system works, following its introduction in June.
Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook stated that the revised HHSRS is intended to make it easier for councils to address landlords who do not tackle serious hazards. The system, overhauled for the first time in 20 years, has reduced the number of hazards from 29 to 21 by combining several.
The revamped HHSRS introduces baseline indicators, which offer suggested standards for assessors to identify potential property deficiencies. Assessors must now evaluate the likelihood of harm requiring medical intervention over the next 12 months, considering the most vulnerable age group rather than the actual occupant, with the exception of overcrowding assessments.
The revised guidance categorises harm into four levels: moderate, serious, severe, and extreme. Each hazard is scored separately, meaning a property can have both Category 1 and Category 2 hazards. Councils can impose civil penalties of up to £7,000 for an initial Category 1 hazard or a single penalty covering multiple breaches.