If not a follow-on from enforcement work, an initial visit is required to the property.

During this visit, the inspecting Officer will check that the property is fit for human habitation which includes factors such as:

• That property is structurally stable
• That property is free from dampness
• That adequate kitchen (cooking, food preparation and storage) & bathroom facilities are provided
• That the maximum number of people being/to be accommodated is feasible for the size of property and amenities provided
• Satisfactory internal layouts, i.e. no internal habitable room without a window, no living rooms in hallways or on landings, no subterranean bedrooms or living rooms & no WC/bathrooms more than one floor distant from a bedroom
• That rooms are big enough in floor plan area for their existing or proposed use in accordance with set out acceptable minimum sizes for rooms
• Check that adequate natural lighting and ventilation is achieved, i.e. no conservatories up against rear living room windows preventing natural ingress of external air
• That hot and cold water services work
• That property is in general good repair
• Whether the property is eligible for grant assistance or not. (Our current grant policy indicates that only existing rented Houses in Multiple Occupation are eligible for grant assistance as opposed to newly converted or newly rented accommodation. This stance has been taken in order to provide cash for those existing rented properties that are in need of work and not to have all the money used up by people converting existing single household properties in order to rent them out.)
• What means of escape provision (if necessary) is in existence at the property. In accordance with recent DETR guidance, means of escape requirements in two storey shared properties can be reduced following the completion of a risk assessment (see criteria below).

Risk Assessment criteria for two storey properties, which may reduce means of escape requirements:

•  There are less than six occupants including any resident, landlord and family, none of whom is vulnerable (disabled or physically impaired in any way)
• All habitable rooms have an openable window (or door) through which emergency egress to a safe place outside the house would be possible
• The property is not let as bedsits
• No habitable room can only be accessed through another room
• All rooms have close fitting internal doors
• There are no other adverse risk factors (for example refugees from domestic violence where there may be a risk of fire)

Source: DETR Circular, April 28, 1999

Where a property has three or more storeys and is either shared by six or more occupants or is comprised of separate self contained flats / bedsits which share a common internal staircase, then installation of full automatic fire detection & emergency lighting and provision of fire doors is required.

Layout plans illustrating typical requirements: two storey plans, three storey plans

The landlord of the property to be Accredited is also requested to supply a copy of a certificate proving that the domestic electrical system is safe – normally a NICEIC Periodic Inspection Report for an electrical installation and a CORGI landlord’s gas safety certificate if there are gas installations within the property.