Most landlords hear "HHSRS" and think of something only a council inspector needs to worry about. That is a risky assumption this year. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System was rewritten in June, councils have a new power to fine you up to £7,000 per serious hazard, and the government has told local authorities to use their powers as fully as they can. The government estimates around 1 in 10 private rented homes contains at least one serious hazard, so this is not a niche risk.
What Changed, and When
The updated HHSRS came into force on 23 June 2026, the first major revision in about 20 years. The new civil penalty power was announced as in force on 22 June 2026 under the Renters' Rights Act. The main changes:
Hazards cut from 29 to 21. Several similar hazards were merged, including falls, fire and explosions, indoor air pollutants and domestic hygiene.
A simpler scoring bands system. The old A to J bands are gone. Hazards are now rated High, Medium or Low.
Four harm classes. Extreme, Severe, Serious and Moderate.
The 21 hazards are: damp and mould growth; excess cold; excess heat; asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres; indoor air pollutants; lead; radiation; crowding and space; entry by intruders; lighting; noise; domestic hygiene; water supply; falls on the level; falling on stairs etc.; falling between levels; electrical hazards; fire and explosions; flames, hot surfaces etc.; collisions, entrapment and ergonomics; and structural collapse and falling elements.
How a Hazard Gets Scored
An inspector works through the same steps for each hazard:
Spot a deficiency, meaning anything below the baseline standard.
Link it to one or more of the 21 hazards.
Estimate the likelihood of harm needing medical attention over the next 12 months.
Assess how severe the harm would be.
Combine the two into a score.
The result decides the response:
High (Category 1): a score of 1,000 or more. The council must take enforcement action.
Medium and Low (Category 2): below 1,000. The council has discretion.
Examples the government has used for serious hazards include severe damp and mould, freezing temperatures or a broken boiler, and faulty electrics.
The £7,000 Civil Penalty
The new penalty is up to £7,000 per Category 1 hazard. Points to know:
It applies to Category 1 hazards, not Category 2.
It is not meant for hazards you couldn't realistically fix. GOV.UK's guide says it applies where removing the hazard was reasonably practicable but not done.
It can stack. A council can impose one penalty per hazard, so a property with three Category 1 hazards can face a bill well above £7,000.
You can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
One thing to check yourself: the government's press material calls these "on the spot fines". At least one landlord guide reports that a council must first have taken enforcement action, such as an improvement notice, before the penalty applies. The official wording is not as clear, so treat the prior-notice point as unconfirmed and read the current GOV.UK guidance if you receive anything from your council.
It Doesn't Stop at £7,000
The £7,000 is the smaller number. The bigger consequences sit around it:
Ignoring an improvement notice: a civil penalty of up to £40,000 for offences on or after 1 May 2026 (£30,000 before that), or prosecution with an unlimited fine.
Rent repayment orders: up to two years' rent for offences on or after 1 May 2026.
Works in default: the council can do the repairs and recover the cost from you, including placing a charge on the property.
Prohibition orders: part or all of the property can be closed to use.
Rogue landlord database and banning orders for the most serious cases.
Awaab's Law and Private Landlords: Not Yet
Awaab's Law, the statutory timescales for fixing hazards such as damp and mould, already applies to social housing. It has not been extended to private landlords. The government has opened a consultation on doing so, which is reported to close on 18 December 2026. No private-sector deadlines have been set.
Do not mistake "not yet" for "not relevant". The direction of travel is clear, and a landlord who already responds to damp and mould reports within days will be in a good position whichever timescales are chosen.
The Decent Homes Standard Is Further Off
A Decent Homes Standard for the private rented sector is reported to be due from 2035. It is not in force. It is mentioned here only because some online articles blur it with the HHSRS changes, which are in force now.
What to Do This Month
Check the property against the 21 hazards. Pay most attention to damp and mould, excess cold, electrical hazards, fire safety, falls on stairs and entry by intruders.
Use a current checklist. Any HHSRS self-assessment downloaded before June 2026 refers to the old 29-hazard list.
Confirm your basic certificates. Gas safety check every year, an electrical installation condition report at least every five years, working smoke alarms on every storey, and carbon monoxide alarms where required.
Respond to repair reports in writing, with dates. If a hazard is ever scored, a record of prompt action is your best evidence that you did what was reasonably practicable.
Never ignore a council letter. A hazard awareness notice has no legal force, but an improvement notice does, and ignoring it is where the £40,000 exposure comes from.
Treat damp and mould as urgent. It is the hazard councils and tenants are most focused on right now.
Bottom Line
The HHSRS has moved from a background council tool to a front-line enforcement risk. The system is simpler, the penalties are real, and councils have been told to use them. For a landlord who keeps on top of repairs, very little changes. For a landlord who lets a damp, cold or electrically unsafe property drift, the cost of getting it wrong just went up considerably.
Know a landlord with an unresolved damp or heating complaint? Forward this on before the council gets there first.
Next edition: Tuesday 20 October, with another essential compliance update for UK landlords.