HHSRS Hazards Landlord Guide: Category 1, Category 2, and the 21 Hazard Framework

The HHSRS Framework After June 2026

On 23 June 2026, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System underwent its biggest overhaul since 2005. The original 29 hazard categories were consolidated into 21 streamlined classifications. The underlying logic — a risk-based assessment of defects that could harm occupants — hasn't changed, but the categories are tighter.

The HHSRS is the tool local authority environmental health officers use when they inspect your rental property. They're assessing risks to health and safety from physical deficiencies. You can't self-certify an HHSRS score or issue your own technical diagnosis — these are statutory assessments performed by trained inspectors.

Category 1 vs. Category 2: What the Bands Mean

Every hazard is scored and placed into a band:

Category 1 hazards (Bands A–C, hazard score 1,000 or above) represent severe risks. Your local authority is under a mandatory duty to take enforcement action. Since 22 June 2026, councils can issue direct civil penalties up to £7,000 for Category 1 hazards without going to court where removal was reasonably practicable. Failure to comply with an improvement notice is a separate offence that can attract a civil penalty of up to £40,000.

Category 2 hazards (Bands D–J, hazard score below 1,000) represent serious or minor risks. Councils have discretionary power to act — they can use an improvement notice, prohibition order, Hazard Awareness Notice, or informal steps, but they're not obligated to.

Key Hazards in the 21-Category Framework

The streamlined list covers:

• Damp and mould growth
• Excess cold and excess heat
• Fire and explosions
• Electrical hazards
• Falls (on the level, on stairs, and between levels)
• Structural collapse and falling elements
• Domestic hygiene, pests, and refuse
• Water supply safety
• Entry by intruders
• Overcrowding and space

Damp and mould deserves particular attention: any damp/mould hazard scoring within Bands A to H automatically fails the Decent Homes Standard's Criterion E. That makes it a two-front enforcement risk — HHSRS penalties today plus future DHS enforcement.

What Happens During an Inspection

A council inspection typically follows a tenant complaint to Environmental Health, though some councils run proactive inspections under selective licensing schemes. The officer visits the property, assesses each identified deficiency against the HHSRS framework, and scores it.

For Category 1 findings, the council must act. The enforcement toolkit includes:

• Improvement Notices mandating specific repairs within set timescales
• Prohibition Orders banning residential use of all or part of the property
• Emergency Remedial Action where the council enters and does urgent safety work themselves, then bills you
• Direct civil penalties up to £7,000

For Category 2 findings, you might receive a Hazard Awareness Notice — advisory, not penalised — or informal correspondence asking you to address the issue.

Building Your Defence File

The strongest position when facing an HHSRS inspection is documented evidence of proactive maintenance. Keep timestamped records of repairs, contractor sign-offs, ventilation checks, and any tenant correspondence about maintenance requests. If a council officer sees an organised evidence file showing you've been addressing hazards systematically, that context matters.

The Decent Homes & Awaab's Law Guide includes a property-level HHSRS audit checklist covering all 21 hazard categories, plus a hazard workflow log for documenting your response to each identified issue.

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