Housing Health & Safety Rating System

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a check of hazards in your home that could affect your health.

It is a risk assessment system that focuses on identifying and tackling the hazards that are most likely to be present in housing to make homes healthier and safer to live in.

The system can deal with 29 hazards relating to:

  • Dampness, excess cold/heat
  • 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

Each hazard is assessed separately, and if judged to be 'serious', with a 'high score', it is deemed a category one hazard. All other hazards are called category two hazards.

A risk assessment looks at the likelihood of an incident arising from the condition of the property and the likely harmful outcome.

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The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) affects all owners and landlords, including social landlords.

It means we should assess our properties to determine whether serious hazards may cause a health or safety risk to tenants. We should then carry out improvements to reduce the risks, and to be decent (under the Decent Homes Standard), homes should be free of category one hazards.

We look at the likelihood of an incident arising from the condition of the property and the likely harmful outcome. For example, how likely is a fire to break out, what will happen if one does.

We consider:

  • The chance of harm
  • How serious it would be
  • Any extra risk to children or older people

Any hazards in your home are then rated as 'category one' or 'category two'.

Our surveyors will do this assessment when they visit your home, but the Environmental Health Team in the local authority ultimately enforces compliance with the standard.

When we are told about or find a category one hazard in a property, we fix it immediately. 

Often, this is a simple emergency repair: to fix a gas leak, reattach the bannister on the stairs, or secure a loose roof tile. 

Sometimes, the risk in a property is significant due to the age or physical ability of the people who live there, so we might have to make more substantial changes to make the property safe for them, for example, installing a ramp to the front door. 

Some risks, like damp and mould growth, might need more investigation and follow-up to make sure we have fixed the problem and controlled the risk. 

We follow damp and mould procedures to monitor any properties with a problem and ensure any issues are resolved through regular follow-up inspections.

You can help us to keep your home and loved ones safe:

  • Report any problems in your home to us as they occur so we can fix things before they get worse. 

  • Keep your home clean, tidy, and well-ventilated to help prevent some risks and identify others sooner.

  • Give our surveyors, technical officers, and operatives access to your home when they come to inspect or repair it.

  • If you need changes in your home due to a disability, we may be able to help you; please see Aids and Adaptations.

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