Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System is used to assess the how the condition of a person's home affects their health and safety, and that of their visitors.
Defects in a property are identified and assessed in relation to 29 hazards. These are:
Damp, heat and cold
Defects here include:
- damp and mould growth
- excess cold
- excess heat
Pollutants
These pollutants are defined as serious risks:
- asbestos and manufactured mineral fibre
- biocides, such as fumes from timber treatment
- carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products
- lead
- radiation
- unburnt fuel gas, such as a gas leak
- volatile organic compounds, such as fumes from paints, varnishes
Space security, light and noise
Risks in these areas include:
- crowding and space
- entry by intruders
- lighting
- noise
Hygiene, sanitation and water supply
There are a variety of risks in this area:
- domestic hygiene, pests and refuse
- food safety
- personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage
- water supply
Falls
Home hazards here comprise:
- falls associated with baths
- falling on level surfaces
- falling on stairs
- falling between levels
Electric shocks, fires, burns and scalds
These include as expected:
- electric shocks
- fire
- flames, hot surfaces
Collisions, cuts and strains
This covers a range of risks:
- collisions and entrapment
- explosions
- position of amenities and how they operate
- structural collapse and falling material
Serious hazards are classified as Category 1 and less serious as Category 2.
If we find Category 1 hazards in a home, we must act. We try to deal with problems informally but if this is unsuccessful, we may take formal enforcement action such as serving a statutory notice.
More information
The government has issued guidance on HHSRS for landlords and other property related professionals – go to GOV.UK: Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) guidance.
You can also get more information from our Private Housing service: