The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has welcomed an end to the delay in implementation of the revised Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).

A review of the HHSRS – the risk-based evaluation tool used by local authorities to assess housing hazards – concluded in 2022. Draft revised operating guidance and enforcement guidance have now been laid before parliament and are due to come into force in June 2026.

The changes to the system set out in the draft revised operating guidance are designed to make HHSRS assessments easier to understand.

Key changes in the operating guidance include reducing the total number of hazards assessed from 29 to 21, producing a simpler means of banding the results of assessments and publishing indicative baselines to help landlords and tenants understand where their properties may need improvements.

Nikki Pearson, Head of Membership Services at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said: “The HHSRS is one of the most important tools that our members use to improve housing and CIEH is one of the leading providers of training on it for professionals.

“We will now focus on informing and supporting housing professionals through the changes to the system, ensuring all our training content reflects these changes and equipping professionals with the skills they need to improve housing conditions.”