28 August 2008


Private Sector Housing Standards

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is the new risk assessment procedure for assessing potential health and safety hazards in residential properties.

The legislation came into effect on 6 April 2006 replacing the housing fitness standard, which is now repealed.

Further information on the HHSRS is available on the website Communities and Local Government. If your rented home requires repairs or an improvement, the Landlord will normally be responsible for having these carried out. You should inform your landlord of any work needed and allow sufficient time for them to be put right. Your landlord has rights to enter the property to carry out works, providing reasonable notice has been given.

The Council will carry out an inspection of a private rented property when it receives a complaint from a tenant. If the property is found not to meet the requirements of the HHSRS, the Council may take action to require the landlord to carry out the necessary work.

If you are a tenant of a Housing Association you should first of all contact the relevant maintenance department.

Accessing the Service: You can complete a CONTACT form online or telephone the Housing Standards Officer on 01895 837200.

Overcrowding
The Housing Act 1985 specifies the maximum number of people who are allowed to occupy a dwelling.

A dwelling is overcrowded when the number of persons sleeping in the dwelling contravenes either of the following standards:

Room standard
The room standard requires that there should be sufficent rooms in every letting so that no male and female aged 10 or over should have to sleep in the same room, unless they are living together as husband and wife. Living rooms and dining rooms are considered to be rooms which can be used for sleeping accomodation.

Space standard
The Space standard is contravened when the number of persons sleeping in a dwelling is in excess of the "permitted number of persons" having regard to the number and floor area of the rooms, which can be used for sleeping accomodation.

For the purpose of the space standard, no account is taken of a child under the age of one and children under the age of ten are counted as one half of a unit.

The "permitted number" is whichever is the least of either the number specified in Table 1 or the aggregate number in Table 2.

Table 1

Number of Rooms Maximum number of People
1 2
2 3
3 5
4 7.5
5 or more 2 for each room

Table 2

Floor area of room Maximum number of People
10.2m² or more (110 sq.ft or more) 2
8.3m² or more but less than 10.2m²( 90 sq ft or more but less than 110 sq ft.) 1½
6.5m² or more but less than 8.3m²( 70 sq ft or more but less than 90 sq ft.) 1
4.6m² or more but less than 6.5m²( 50 sq ft or more but less than 70 sq ft.) ½

Any room less than 4.6m²(50 sq ft) does not count in either of the tables.

Gas Safety
By law, landlords must ensure that an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance/flue by a CORGI registered installer and must keep records of each safety check for two years.

Landlords are not obliged to check any appliance which is owned by the tenant or any flues/chimneys which are only connected to an appliance owned by the tenant.

If you are concerned that your landlord is not complying with the Gas Safety Regulations, you should contact the Health and Safety Executive's Gas Safety Action Line on 0800 300363.

Furniture
All upholstered furniture which is supplied to a property which is let must comply with fire safety standards. For further advice, contact the Council Trading Standards.

Trading Standards Divison
Community Services, Buckinghamshire County Council
County Hall
Aylesbury
Buckinghamshire, HP20 1U
Tel no: 01296 383212
email: tsd@buckscc.gov.uk
Fax 01296 382017