Written by Joe Norman, Founder, Sunderland Landlord Compliance
Last reviewed:
Overview
What this topic is
- The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is the risk-based assessment used by local authorities in England to identify and rate hazards in residential properties.
- It originally covered 29 hazard categories. Under the revised HHSRS framework, in force from 23 June 2026, the assessed hazards reduced from 29 to 21, the A to J banding was replaced with High, Medium and Low, and the harm classes were renamed from Class I to IV to Extreme, Severe, Serious and Moderate. The new rules apply to inspections commenced on or after 22 June 2026.
- Hazards are scored and banded High, Medium or Low under the revised framework. The most serious bandings trigger a duty for the local authority to act.
- HHSRS is enforced by local authority environmental health teams, not by SLC.
Why it matters
Why it matters to landlords, letting agents and homeowners
- HHSRS sits behind much of modern landlord enforcement, including improvement notices, hazard awareness notices, prohibition orders and emergency action.
- Awaab's Law, the Decent Homes Standard and the Renters' Rights Act 2024 all interact with HHSRS hazard categories.
- A property can hold valid statutory certificates and still fall short of HHSRS expectations, because HHSRS looks at the property as a whole.
Property safety
How it connects to property safety and compliance
- Damp and mould, excess cold, fire, carbon monoxide, electrical hazards, falls and structural collapse are all recognised HHSRS hazards.
- Routine certificates (EPC, Gas Safety, EICR, alarms) provide evidence in specific hazard areas but do not replace a broader property condition view.
- Keeping dated tenant reports, inspection notes and remedial-action records strengthens the evidence trail behind any HHSRS-style review.
How SLC helps
How Sunderland Landlord Compliance can help
- Coordinate the statutory certificates that feed into HHSRS-relevant hazard categories (EPC, Gas Safety / CP12, EICR).
- Provide a place to record certificates, expiry dates and dated notes against each property.
- Signpost to suitably qualified third parties for damp and mould inspections, property condition reviews and HMO fire risk assessments where the property profile suggests one is appropriate.
Next steps
Relevant SLC services and pages
References
Official sources
General awareness only
This page is published for general awareness and education. It is not legal advice and does not replace formal advice from a solicitor, surveyor or your local authority. Sunderland Landlord Compliance is a compliance coordination service and does not act as a legal adviser, local authority, enforcement body, surveyor, solicitor or housing inspector. SLC does not guarantee compliance.
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Next step
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