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Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2024

4.0 Priorities

4.1 The Housing Act 2004 and subsequent HHSRS regulations 2005 have identified a number of hazard categories that have been found within the home. There are 29 hazards that arise from disrepair, lack of maintenance or poor design. The health effects from these hazards range from death to mental stress and the HHSRS provides the opportunity to compare unrelated hazards such as fire with other hazards such as damp and mould growth. This is done through the calculation of a hazard score. The higher the score is the higher the risk posed by the hazard.

4.2 This enforcement policy sets the following prioritisation scheme for dealing with hazards (see table one). This will be subject to regular review. The principal behind this is detailed below. 

  • All category 1 hazards will be dealt with as a priority over category 2 hazards. 
  • Where there are multiple category 1 hazards, those with the highest scores will be a priority over the lower scores. 
  • Where there are category 2 hazards, the higher scored category 2 hazards will be dealt with first, unless target hazards have been identified in the property.
  • Where an officer has identified deficiencies and felt it necessary to hazard-rate them, even if the result is a low category 2 hazard, the officer must consider at the very least offering advice, or serving a hazard awareness notice. Where the hazard is a target hazard, any necessary remedial works should be considered. 

4.3 When a complaint is received an officer will prioritise the complaint based on the information provided by the complainant. Where insufficient information has been provided the complainant should be contacted within 5 working days in order to gain the appropriate information to prioritise the complaint.

4.4 Using professional judgment and knowledge of the HHSRS the assigned officer will prioritise the complaint as a P1, P2, P3 or P4. Complaints classed as P1 require an immediate response as these are considered an emergency. P1 classifications are likely to be very rare. P2 complaints are those that are suspected to be category 1 hazards. These should be responded to within 10 working days. P3 complaints should be responded to within 1 month and P4 complaints within 3 months. 

4.5 In times of high service demand it may not be possible to adhere to these timescales. The complainant should be kept informed as to the potential waiting time and it may be necessary for Private Sector Housing Manager to implement the measure in paragraph 4.6. 

4.6 Where high volumes of work are experienced it is likely that P3 and P4 cases will be kept on a waiting list. In some cases the Private Sector Housing Manager may make the decision that certain cases will not be dealt with by Private Sector Housing. Where possible these cases will be forwarded to alternative schemes for assistance or encouraged to take their own action using provisions under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. 

Category one
Priority (P)Priority (P)Main options for actionOther options available for consideration
Immediate action

P1 Highest band A+ 

Imminent risk to health and safety

  • emergency action
  • prohibition order
  • improvement notice
  • demolition order
  • clearance
  • suspend notices
  • hazard awareness notice
High priority P2

P2 Hazard bands A-C

Including target hazards

  • improvement notice
  • prohibition order
  • clearance
  • demolition
  • suspend notices
  • hazard awareness notice

 

Category two
Priority (P)Priority (P)Main options for actionOther options available for consideration
Medium priority

P3 - Target hazards bands D-J

High bands D-F

  • improvement notice
  • suspend notices
  • hazard awareness notice
  • prohibition order
Low priorityP4 - Low bands G-J
  • hazard awareness notice
  • suspend notices
  • improvement notice
  • prohibition order

 

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