The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

The first briefing by the House of Commons Library gives an overview of the HHSRS and looks at some of the reviews and reports into its operation. It also looks briefly at wider housing conditions and standards.

• There have been calls to introduce a housing fitness standard, this is discussed in Library briefing paper 07328: Housing Fitness in the Private Rented Sector (opens new window).

And lastly, in December 2017 in the light of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health published a review of the HHSRS entitled, ‘Closing the Gaps. Health & Safety at Home’. It calls for an update of the current (2006) system to ensure that the places we live in are safe and not a direct danger to our health. In particular to:

• update the evidence base that underpins the system;
• provide greater clarification of the definition of ‘vulnerable occupiers’;
• improve and update the current worked examples and sets of guidance for professionals, and;
• introduce a clear national minimum space standard to combat overcrowding.