We are responsible for making sure that housing in the area is safe and suitable to live in. Most housing is risk assessed under the housing health and safety rating system (HHSRS).

Where a property is assessed as having a serious hazard (category 1) and the owner or landlord does not fix it, we have a legal duty to take action. In the case of a category 2 hazard, we can also take action if we think it’s necessary. This will usually involve serving one or some of the following notices:

• Improvement notice – this can be served for category 1 and 2 hazards.
• Prohibition order (emergency) - this will close all or part of the property, or restrict the number of occupants (usually category 1 hazard).
• Remedial action notice (emergency) - this will force the person responsible for the property to fix the hazard immediately (usually category 1 hazard).
• Hazard awareness notice - this will tell the person responsible for the property of an existing hazard. Normally, no further action will be taken.
• Demolition order – this is usually for a category 1 hazard, but is also available for category 2 hazards in some circumstances.
• Clearance area – this is usually for a category 1 hazard, but is also available for category 2 hazards in some circumstances.

Find out more about our enforcement policy.