Home safety

Our team of trained Independent Living Officers (ILOs) carry out home safety inspections to assess for any category 1 and 2 hazards that are identified using the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. From this, they then support the clients to access any funding available to remedy the hazards and bring their homes back up to the Local Authority’s decent homes standard.

What is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)?

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a guide to landlords, and homeowners, to help them identify potential risks to the property and to the health of the people who live there. It helps the evaluate what the risks are, and the level of how serious the risks are. The result will assist in deciding what works are necessary to then mitigate the risk.

There are 29 hazards in the . The information below is taken directly from the operating guidance manual on the government website.

If you find that you have one or more of the following hazards, please visit our Dealing with home hazards page for advice on how to reduce them. If you still need further support, please contact us.

Types of hazard

Physiological Hazards

Physiological hazards include damp and mould growth, excess cold, excess heat, asbestos and manufactured mineral fibres, biocides, carbon monoxide and fuel combustion products, lead, radiation, uncombusted fuel gas, and volatile organic compounds.

Psychological Hazards

Psychological hazards include crowding and space, entry by intruders, lighting and noise.

Infection risk

Infection risks include domestic hygiene, pests, refuse, food safety, personal hygiene, sanitation, drainage and water supply.

Accident Hazards

Accident hazards include falls associated with baths, falling on level surfaces, falling associated with stairs and steps, falling between levels, electrical hazards, fire, flames, hot surfaces, collision, entrapment, explosions, position of amenities and structural collapse.