Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
Introduction
Whenever a housing officer visits a property whether it is after
receiving a complaint or during a routine housing inspection, they
will look for any apparent hazards. This doesn’t mean there
will have to be any obvious structural problems.
The rating system is more concerned with the potential health
and safety implications to both occupants and visitors. So
for example, the absence of a handrail on a long flight of stairs,
low level window sills on an upper floor, lack of smoke alarms or
no loft insulation may result in a hazard.
The rating system is not a standard in itself so it will be hard
to say if something is definitely a hazard before it is
assessed. Having said that, lots of hazards can be identified
through common sense, so for example if there are single glazed
draughty windows in your house then it will probably mean there
will be a risk of poor health to the occupants from cold and
draughts.
To make an assessment using the HHSRS the Local Authority will
have to thoroughly inspect a property where they will take
photographs and make notes. Then to ensure fairness the
paperwork side of the assessment will usually take place back at
the office using the guidance available and the evidence collected
from the inspection.
Once this is complete the Council will then be able to decide
what action is needed including possible enforcement.
How it works
The rating system is based mainly on two things.
The first is the likelihood that an occupant or a visitor will
become injured. When this judgment is made the current
occupants will not be taken into account but the group considered
most at risk will and this is usually either young children or the
elderly, but this depends on the hazard.
For example, if a property has outside concrete steps leading to
the front door there is a likelihood that someone may fall or slip
on these steps in wet or icy weather.
Now if you consider that there is no handrail and the concrete
steps are worn and uneven there is an even greater likelihood that
an elderly person may fall and injure themselves.
The second part of the assessment looks at how badly someone
will get hurt if they have an accident.
So thinking again about the external steps leading to the front
door, if the steps are higher then the injury will be worse and if
the floor below is solid paving slabs then the injury will be even
more severe, especially if you think that an elderly person may lay
undiscovered for some time before help arrives.
The result of the assessment is determined by a complicated
calculation, but basically it gives the hazard a banding from ‘A –
J’ with ‘A’ being the worse and ‘J’ being the lowest risk.
Bands ‘A – C’ are classed as category 1 hazards and bands ‘D’
and below as category 2 hazards. It is these two categories
that determine the possible requirements for enforcement.
The Hazards
There is a list of 29 hazards considered by the Rating System
and only these hazards can be assessed.
Having said that, they are quite broad and most safety issues
can be included in one or more of the hazards below.
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1. Damp and mould growth
2. Excess cold
3. Excess heat
4. Asbestos (and MMF)
5. Biocides
6. Carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products
7. Lead
8. Radiation
9. Uncombusted fuel gas
10. Volatile Organic Compounds
11. Crowding and Space
12. Entry by intruders
13. Lighting
14. Noise Protection |
15. Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse
16. Food safety
17. Personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage
18. Water supply for domestic purpose
19. Falls associated with baths
20. Falling on level surfaces
21. Falling on Stairs etc.
22. Falling between levels
23. Electrical hazards
24. Fire
25. Flames, hot surfaces
26. Collision and entrapment
27. Explosions
28. Position and operability of amenities
29. Structural collapse and failing
elements |
Enforcement Options
Local Authorities have a duty to take action on Category 1
hazards and the power to take action on category 2 hazards.
This will apply to all properties, regardless of whether they are
owner occupied or rented.
In most cases the Council will usually contact the landlord or
agent and informally request works to be done to remove or reduce
the hazard. In some circumstances where a hazard has been
identified as being an imminent risk of harm or requiring urgent
attention then a legal notice may be served without prior
notification.
In circumstances where an informal approach does not prove
successful, the Council may serve a legal notice either requiring
works to be done or restricting use of the property. Where
the hazard is less serious then a notice simply advising the owner
and occupiers of the hazard may be appropriate.
Where a legal notice is not complied with the Council then have
the power to prosecute the owners of the property and carry out the
works themselves and recover all costs.
Further Information
This document/publication/leaflet can be made available in a
range of community languages, large print, Braille, on tape,
electronic and accessible formats from the Information Officer
(information_officer@bathnes.gov.uk) - Tel (01225 477983) Minicom
(01225 477815) |
