Making sense of the 2026 HHSRS update for landlords

On June 23 2026, the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) – the tool local councils use to assess the safety of rental homes – got its first major overhaul since 2006.

The update was designed to modernise the system, make it easier to understand, and cut through confusing red tape. 

Now, new highly specific ‘baseline indicators’ mean it’s much easier to assess if your property falls short. 

Here’s a breakdown of the key updates, what it means for your property, and what you need to do next.

HHSRS updates – what changed?

The HHSRS hasn’t changed the healthy and safety standards for rental properties, just made them much easier for landlords councils to follow. Changes include:

• a shorter hazard list – the old system tested for 29 different hazards, but that list has been consolidated down to 21 and grouped under accidents, physiological needs, infection protection, and psychological needs
• a simplified rating system – the old A-to-J scoring system has been scrapped, and hazards are now simply ranked as high (Category 1, requiring mandatory council enforcement), medium, or low (Category 2, where councils have discretion to act)
• clearer language – the classes of harm are now described using plain English – extreme, severe, serious, and moderate – so everyone understands what the risks are
• specific ‘baseline indicators’ introduced – the government has introduced clear, measurable standards for property conditions, and if your property doesn’t meet these indicators, it’s officially classed as a deficiency

What do the HHSRS changes mean for landlords?

For most landlords, this update is broadly positive. The old HHSRS often made it difficult to understand exactly how a specific score based on complex algorithms and Roman numerals was achieved. The new descriptive bands and baseline indicators give you a clear, transparent checklist. You no longer have to guess what ‘safe’ looks like.

Imagine your property has a rotting staircase with a missing handrail. Under the old and new systems, the council would describe the risk very differently in their report.

How a report was written before the changes:

“The deficiency presents a risk of falling on stairs. The hazard is assessed at Band C. The potential for harm is calculated as Class II.”

How a report is written now:

“The deficiency presents a risk of falling on stairs. The hazard is assessed as High. The potential for harm is calculated as severe (e.g serious fractures or loss of consciousness).”

Easier to understand also means easier to appeal. Under the old system, arguing against a council’s enforcement notice was difficult because of the technical language. 

Now, because inspectors must justify their scores against plain-English baseline indicators, it’s much easier for you to spot errors. If an inspector misclassifies a hazard or ignores a baseline metric, the simpler system gives you solid ground to mount an appeal.

Because the baseline indicators are so clear, this means it’s easier for your tenants to call out faults in the property. Minor oversights (like a missing window restrictor) are now clearly defined deficiencies that tenants can point to directly, meaning you have less wiggle room for deferred maintenance.

A new focus on excess heat

For decades, UK housing regulations have focused almost entirely on keeping tenants warm. But with record-breaking heatwaves happening more frequently, excess heat remains one of the 21 trackable hazards under the new physiological requirements.

While the new baseline indicators are highly prescriptive about minimum winter temperatures (maintaining 21°C), they don’t explicitly state a maximum summer temperature. 

But you can face enforcement action if your property traps heat unreasonably due to:

• painted-shut windows preventing airflow
• broken extractor fans in kitchens or bathrooms
• a lack of external shading on south-facing glass
• poorly planned insulation upgrades that trap heat without adding adequate ventilation

If excess heat triggers a high (Category 1) hazard score, councils must take enforcement action, which can now include significant on-the-spot civil penalties. 

Your next steps

You don’t need to file any new paperwork, or hand over a document to your tenant – but you should conduct an audit of your property soon. 

Use this checklist during your next inspection or property visit:

• check the thermostat – your heating system must be capable of heating the main living area to 21°C and all other habitable rooms to 18°C, even when it’s -1°C outside
• audit for damp – inspect ceilings and walls, as if damp or mould covers more than 5% of a surface in any single room, you have a deficiency that needs immediate treatment
• measure the stairs – count the steps on every interior and exterior staircase, and if there are four or more steps, you must have a secure, continuous handrail sitting between 900mm and 1000mm high
• test the taps – hot water tanks should be set at 60°C to prevent Legionnaires’ disease, but the water coming out of the bath or shower head cannot exceed 45°C to prevent scalding 
• secure upper windows – any window above the ground floor needs a restrictor that stops it from opening wider than 100mm. But if the window is a designated fire escape, make sure the restrictor can be easily overridden without a key

The 2026 HHSRS update is ultimately about clarity. By taking an afternoon to review your properties against these new baseline indicators, you can make sure your tenants stay safe and you stay firmly on the right side of the local council.

More guides for landlords

• Landlord responsibilities – a guide to property maintenance and repair
• The UK regions where house prices could grow the fastest by 2030
• What tenants want in 2026 (and how often to decorate your property)
• Section 13 rent increase: a guide for landlords