This is no longer just about certificates
Most landlords and agents still think compliance means gas safety,
electrics, EPCs and alarms.
Those still matter — but under the Renters’ Rights Reform,
they are no longer enough.
Enforcement has shifted from reacting after harm to acting based on risk.
- Housing Act 2004
- Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
- Category 1 & Category 2 hazards
- Real stairway / handrail examples
Risk is judged — not tick-boxed
Hazards are not assessed in isolation.
The same defect can be low risk in one property and high risk in another.
Enforcement relies on professional judgement, not checklists.
- Stairways and changes in level
- Lighting and visibility
- Children and vulnerable occupiers
- Officer interpretation differences
- HHSRS training reference
Councils do not all enforce the same way
Category 1 hazards require action.
Category 2 hazards are discretionary.
How that discretion is applied depends on the local authority.
- Enforcement projects
- Targeted areas
- Officer judgement
- Why “they never enforce that” is dangerous
Compliance goes beyond the property itself
Enforcement now includes advertising, inspections, records, and response times — not just physical defects.
- Equality Act 2010
- Advertising wording
- Discrimination risks
- Inspection records as evidence
Why letting agents are now directly exposed
Agents inspect, advertise, advise, and hold files.
That brings professional responsibility.
- Agent vs landlord liability
- Investigatory powers
- Office audits
- Government wording
Why non-compliance now delays evictions
With Section 21 removed, possession now requires proof — not assumptions of compliance.
- Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018
- No-win-no-fee solicitors
- Counter-claims
- Eviction delays
