The Housing Health & Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a method for assessing health and safety risks in residential properties. It replaces the fitness standard that was used under the Housing Act 1985.

Any residential premises, including its structure, access areas, yard, gardens and outbuildings can be assessed. 

How is a property assessed under HHSRS?

The inspector will identify hazards that are likely to lead to harm whilst the property is in use, and will then assess the seriousness of harm that the hazard may cause. 

Action we may take:

• serve an improvement notice requiring essential repairs or improvements to reduce or remove the hazard
• make a prohibition order, closing all or part of a building or restricting the number of occupiers to reduce or remove a hazard
• take emergency action to deal with any imminent risk to the occupiers from a severe hazard
• serve a Hazard Awareness notice that informs that a hazard is present

Further HHSRS guidance

What problems can the Private Sector Housing Team assist with?

• Identifying hazards under the Housing Health and Rating System brining about improvements and repairs to remove those hazards
• Urgent action to restore heating, hot water or to make dangerous electrical systems safe
• Dampness from roof leaks, pipe leaks, rising damp, condensation and mould and dry rot infestations and improving heating systems or ventilation
• Homes which are excessively cold due to poor insulation and heating that is inefficient and unaffordable
• Some types of disrepair where a there is a risk to health and safety as the result of a hazard. Rotten or broken windows, bathrooms, kitchens and toilets that are inadequate or in severe disrepair
• Broken and blocked drainage
• Infestations of rats, mice, cockroaches, fleas and bedbugs
• Disconnection of gas, water or electricity
• Fire safety

If you are living in a privately rented home and would like to report a hazard under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System please submit an enquiry below or call us on 020 7974 4444

Report a hazard

The Private Sector Housing Service is responsible for delivering the Council’s Housing Renewal Assistance policy. The aim of the policy is to outline how the Council will target discretionary grant assistance for residents and landlords in the private housing sector. This includes assistance for owners and tenants for security measures and energy efficiency measures to improve health, safety and welfare. The policy also includes assistance for landlords to improve the energy efficiency of properties in the private rented sector and grants to bring long-term empty properties back into use.
 
The proposed policy will be in operation from July 2021 to March 2026. There are a number of changes proposed, including removing the means test requirement for all Disabled Facilities Grants where the works are under £10,000, stopping HMO grants for landlords and introducing a new Warm Home Grant to replace existing Warmer Cheaper Greener grants. The proposals take into account the ambitions of Camden 2025 and changes in legislation, since the last policy was launched.

For more information on all the proposed changes to the existing policy, this document shows the proposals.

The previous policy can be found here

How to comment

To take part in the consultation, please complete our online form by Sunday 30 May 2021, and be in with a chance to win £50.
Due to Covid -19 restrictions, we are unable to hold face to face consultation sessions. Various external and internal partners and community groups are being consulted separately.