Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and Housing Disrepair Claims

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is an important part of housing law in England and can be particularly relevant where tenants are living with damp, mould, leaks, excessive cold, fire risks or other dangerous housing conditions.

The HHSRS is established under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 and is used to identify and assess risks to the health, safety and wellbeing of people living in residential properties.

For tenants experiencing housing disrepair, an HHSRS assessment can also provide important evidence about the condition of their home and the seriousness of the hazards present.

At Housing Disrepair Helpline, we help council and housing association tenants who have reported problems with their homes but are still waiting for effective repairs.

Housing Disrepair Helpline has helped over 25,000 tenants get their homes fixed and obtain compensation over the last 11 years.

What Is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System?

The HHSRS is a risk-based system for assessing housing conditions.

Rather than simply asking whether a particular component of a property is defective, the HHSRS considers the risk that a deficiency in a property presents to the health or safety of an occupier or potential occupier.

The Housing Act 2004 defines a hazard as a risk of harm to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier arising from a deficiency in the dwelling, building or surrounding land.

Importantly, the Housing Act specifically provides that health includes mental health.

HHSRS Changed in 2026

The HHSRS underwent an important update in 2026.

The revised system covers 21 potential housing hazards, compared with the 29 hazards under the previous system.

New statutory Operating Guidance and Enforcement Guidance were published in June 2026 following a government review of the system.

The underlying principle remains that homes should provide a safe and healthy environment and that hazards should be assessed according to the risks they present.

Category 1 and Category 2 Hazards

HHSRS hazards are divided into two broad categories according to their seriousness.

Category 1 Hazards

These are the most serious hazards.

Where a local authority identifies a Category 1 hazard, it has a duty under the Housing Act 2004 to take appropriate enforcement action.

A Category 1 finding can therefore be extremely significant where a tenant has been reporting serious problems with their home.

Category 2 Hazards

These are hazards that do not reach the Category 1 threshold.

That does not mean they should be ignored.

Local authorities have powers to take enforcement action in relation to Category 2 hazards, depending upon the circumstances.

What Types of Housing Problems Can the HHSRS Cover?

The HHSRS considers risks arising from a wide range of housing conditions.

For tenants pursuing or considering a housing disrepair claim, relevant problems can include issues associated with:

• damp and mould;
• excessive cold or heat;
• structural problems;
• dangerous stairs or floors;
• electrical hazards;
• fire and explosion risks;
• defective sanitation;
• water supply problems;
• overcrowding and space;
• falls;
• dangerous windows;
• poor security;
• carbon monoxide and combustion products; and
• other hazards capable of affecting an occupier’s health or safety.

The existence of a defect does not automatically mean that it will be classified as a Category 1 hazard. HHSRS assessments consider the likelihood of harm occurring and the potential severity of that harm.

HHSRS and Damp and Mould

The HHSRS can be particularly relevant to tenants living with serious damp and mould.

Persistent damp and mould may be associated with problems such as:

• leaking roofs;
• defective windows;
• defective external walls;
• penetrating damp;
• plumbing leaks;
• defective guttering and downpipes;
• inadequate ventilation; and
• other building defects.

If a landlord repeatedly treats visible mould without properly investigating and addressing the underlying cause, the problem may continue.

An HHSRS assessment looks at the risk presented by the conditions rather than simply whether mould is visible on the day of an inspection.

Who Carries Out an HHSRS Inspection?

Local housing authorities use the HHSRS when assessing housing conditions and enforcing housing standards.

An inspection considers the property and the potential hazards present.

The assessor considers both the likelihood of harm occurring and the seriousness of the potential harm.

The resulting assessment determines the seriousness of the hazard and whether it falls into Category 1 or Category 2.

What Happens if a Category 1 Hazard Is Found?

A Category 1 hazard is particularly important because the Housing Act 2004 places a duty on the local authority to take enforcement action.

Depending upon the circumstances, enforcement options under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 can include:

• improvement notices;
• prohibition orders;
• emergency remedial action;
• emergency prohibition orders;
• demolition orders; and
• clearance action.

An improvement notice, for example, can require remedial action to address an identified hazard.

Can an HHSRS Report Help a Housing Disrepair Claim?

Potentially, yes.

An HHSRS assessment and any subsequent enforcement action can provide important evidence about the condition of a property.

For example, a report may help establish:

• what hazards were present;
• the seriousness of those hazards;
• which parts of the property were affected;
• what deficiencies were identified;
• whether remedial works were considered necessary; and
• whether formal enforcement action was considered or taken.

This evidence may be relevant when a solicitor investigates a housing disrepair claim.

However, it is important to understand that an HHSRS assessment is not itself a compensation claim.

The HHSRS is principally a system for assessing housing hazards and enabling local authorities to enforce housing standards.

A tenant’s civil claim against a landlord for repairs and compensation may rely upon separate legal duties.

HHSRS and Housing Disrepair Compensation

Where a tenant has lived with serious disrepair for a significant period, they may potentially be entitled to compensation if the legal requirements for a housing disrepair claim are satisfied.

Compensation in housing disrepair cases can potentially take account of matters such as:

• Loss of enjoyment of the property – where parts of the home could not reasonably be used because of the disrepair.
• Inconvenience and distress – depending upon the circumstances of the case.
• Damage to belongings – where possessions have been damaged because of actionable disrepair.
• Additional financial losses – where the tenant has incurred reasonable losses directly associated with the disrepair.

The amount recoverable depends upon the individual circumstances and legal basis of the claim.

A Category 1 or Category 2 HHSRS finding does not automatically determine how much compensation a tenant will receive, but evidence about serious hazards may form an important part of the wider evidence considered in a claim.

What Other Housing Laws Can Apply?

The HHSRS is only one part of the legal framework protecting tenants.

Depending upon the circumstances, a housing disrepair solicitor may also consider legislation including:

Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 – Section 11

Section 11 places repairing obligations on landlords concerning matters including the structure and exterior of rented properties and installations for water, gas, electricity, sanitation and space and water heating.

Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act strengthened tenants’ ability to take action where rented accommodation is not fit for human habitation.

The existence of prescribed hazards under the Housing Act 2004 can be relevant when considering fitness for human habitation.

Environmental Protection Act 1990 – Section 82

Where housing conditions amount to a statutory nuisance, Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 provides a procedure allowing an affected person to bring proceedings in the Magistrates’ Court.

Different legal remedies can therefore potentially apply to the same property.

What Should I Do if My Home Has HHSRS Hazards?

If you are living with damp, mould, leaks or other potentially dangerous housing conditions, there are several practical steps you should take.

1. Report the Problems to Your Landlord

Report the disrepair to your council or housing association as soon as possible.

Where possible, report it in writing and retain copies of emails, online repair reports, letters and repair reference numbers.

2. Photograph and Video the Problems

Keep photographs and videos showing the condition of your home.

If the problem changes or becomes worse, continue taking photographs so that you have a record of how the property has deteriorated.

3. Keep a Repair Timeline

Record:

• when the problem started;
• when you first reported it;
• every subsequent report;
• inspections that have taken place;
• contractors who have attended;
• repairs that were attempted; and
• whether the problem returned.

This can become valuable evidence if a claim is subsequently investigated.

4. Keep Copies of Any HHSRS Reports or Notices

If your property has been inspected and you receive an HHSRS assessment, improvement notice or other document, keep a copy.

Provide it to any solicitor subsequently investigating your housing conditions.

5. Seek Specialist Advice

If you are a council or housing association tenant and your landlord has repeatedly failed to resolve serious disrepair, you may wish to obtain specialist advice about whether you could pursue a housing disrepair claim.

Housing Disrepair Helpline Can Help

Housing Disrepair Helpline assists council and housing association tenants experiencing serious problems with their homes.

We regularly speak with tenants who have reported problems many times but continue to live with:

• damp and mould;
• water penetration;
• leaking roofs;
• defective windows;
• defective heating;
• plumbing problems;
• damaged walls and ceilings;
• structural defects; and
• other serious housing problems.

Housing Disrepair Helpline has helped over 25,000 tenants during the last 11 years to get their homes repaired and obtain compensation.

Why Use Housing Disrepair Helpline?

Housing Disrepair Helpline is a Claims Management Company that works with a panel of specialist housing disrepair solicitors.

One of the advantages of using a Claims Management Company such as Housing Disrepair Helpline is access to a number of different firms specialising in different areas of housing disrepair.

Different claims can involve different issues.

One property might involve serious damp and mould, while another involves structural movement, drainage problems, defective roofing or complex water penetration.

Having a panel of specialist firms allows Housing Disrepair Helpline to consider the circumstances of the case and, where appropriate, appoint the tenant with a leading housing disrepair solicitor experienced in dealing with the relevant problems.

Has Your Landlord Failed to Fix Your Home?

If you are a council or housing association tenant and your landlord has failed to deal with serious repair problems, contact Housing Disrepair Helpline.

Tell us:

• who your landlord is;
• what problems you have in your home;
• when they started;
• when you first reported them;
• how many times you have contacted your landlord; and
• what repairs or inspections have taken place.

If your circumstances are suitable, Housing Disrepair Helpline can appoint you with a specialist housing disrepair solicitor from our panel to investigate the claim.

You do not necessarily need to know whether your home contains a Category 1 or Category 2 HHSRS hazard before contacting us.

If you have reported serious housing problems but your landlord has failed to put them right, contact Housing Disrepair Helpline to find out whether we may be able to help. Call free on 0800 612 4690 (Mon-Sun, 9am-9pm) or start your claim online.

Frequently Asked Questions About HHSRS

What does HHSRS stand for?

HHSRS stands for the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. It is the system used to assess health and safety hazards in residential properties under the Housing Act 2004.

How many HHSRS hazards are there?

Following changes introduced in 2026, the revised HHSRS covers 21 potential hazards. The previous system assessed 29 hazards.

What is a Category 1 HHSRS hazard?

A Category 1 hazard is a hazard that reaches the most serious category under the HHSRS assessment. Local authorities have a duty to take appropriate enforcement action when they identify a Category 1 hazard.

What is a Category 2 HHSRS hazard?

A Category 2 hazard is one that does not reach the Category 1 threshold. Local authorities have powers to take enforcement action against Category 2 hazards.

Is damp and mould covered by HHSRS?

Yes. Damp and mould can be considered within an HHSRS assessment, with the assessment considering the risk that the conditions present to occupants.

Does a Category 1 hazard mean I automatically receive compensation?

No. An HHSRS assessment concerns housing hazards and enforcement. Compensation through a housing disrepair claim is a separate matter and depends upon the landlord’s legal obligations and the circumstances of the individual claim.

Can an HHSRS report help my housing disrepair claim?

Potentially. An HHSRS report can provide useful evidence about hazards and the condition of the property. A housing disrepair solicitor can consider that evidence alongside repair records, photographs, expert evidence and other documentation.

Can Housing Disrepair Helpline help me?

If you are a council or housing association tenant with unresolved housing disrepair, Housing Disrepair Helpline can assess your circumstances. Where appropriate, we can appoint you with a specialist housing disrepair solicitor from our panel.