Housing standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO)

HMO standards – Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)

The way in which local authorities assess unsatisfactory housing conditions changed on 6 April 2006 from the Housing Fitness Standard, which assessed a dwelling as fit or unfit, to a new risk-based system called the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

The system considers 29 different hazards. Where an inspecting officer considers that a hazard exists within a dwelling, a scoring system is used to determine the severity of the hazard. The action taken to remedy the hazard will depend on its severity and could include service of improvement notices, prohibition orders or undertaking emergency remedial action.

HMO properties that meet the physical standards detailed within these standards will satisfy HHSRS requirements for the relevant HHSRS hazard. However, it should be noted that HHSRS applies to all dwellings and the scope of HHSRS is broader than the standards detailed on this page.

A separate guide to Housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS) for landlords