Landlords have been given a new checklist of housing standards to help them identify defects that could lead to fines under the revamped Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

The government has published detailed guidance under the new HHSRS, which took effect in June and introduced 21 hazards instead of the previous 29 and a new system for assessing risk.

Its latest guidance provides a more practical indication of what landlords should be looking for around their properties, using ‘baseline indicators’ – guideline measures to identify common housing deficiencies. The government stresses: “Whilst not mandatory standards, anything regarded as less than the baseline indicator will not generally be considered acceptable to assist in identifying property deficiencies and hazards easily.”

The landlord and agent guide includes a self-assessment checklist covering everything from structural condition and drainage to plumbing, fire safety, ventilation, damp and mould, pests and security.

Check

Among the standards landlords are encouraged to check are that hot water is available to sinks, baths and showers, with a maximum temperature of 45°C at the point of delivery, that the indoor temperature is 21°C in the main living room and 18°C in other habitable rooms at -1°C outside, with a maximum 25°C in rooms during the heating season. There should also be 250mm of loft insulation, and clothes-drying provision where there is no external drying space.

The checklist also covers structural safety, asbestos, drainage and other potential sources of hazards while a series of case studies demonstrate how the new assessment process works and show the scoring and remedial works for particular scenarios.

Useful

Landlords don’t have to carry out the self-assessment, but the government says it provides a useful way of assessing property condition and giving tenants confidence in the standard of accommodation.

Landlords face new fines of up to £7,000 for failing to tackle serious hazards, while those who breach improvement notices can face penalties of up to £40,000 for offences committed from 1 May 2026, compared with £30,000 previously. Councils can also prosecute, with magistrates able to impose an unlimited fine.

The guidance also warns that an improvement notice does not disappear when a property is sold. It remains in force and responsibility passes to the new owner.

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