Hazard Awareness Notice
A Hazard Awareness notice advises the person on whom it served that Category 1 or Category 2 hazard(s) exist on the premises which is stated. There are in total 29 hazards [1]. The notice shall also be accompanied by a statement of reasons for deciding to serve such a notice. Provisions as to service are the same as for an improvement notice [2].
The content of the notice is similar to an improvement notice except there are no dates for the work to be started or completed, and no offence is committed if not complied with. A hazard awareness notice is not enforceable therefore there are consequences as such if the hazard awareness notice is not complied with.
However, a local authority would typically inspect the property in the future after serving a hazard awareness notice. If the local housing authority find that the hazard awareness notice has not been complied with, an improvement notice may be served which is enforceable and a criminal offence is committed where an improvement notice is not complied with.
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS or the Rating System) sets out that enforcement officers shall using a hazard scoring system to determine whether a hazard is a category 1 or 2 hazards. The hazard score is a numerical representation of the overall risk from a hazard. It is based on the evaluation of the likelihood of an occurrence and of the probable harm that could result.
You cannot appeal a hazard awareness notice.
A list of all 29 hazards are below:
| Hazards | |
| 1 | Damp and mould growth Health threats due to dust mites, mould or fungal including mental and social wellbeing health threats associated with damp, humid and mouldy conditions |
| 2 | Excess cold Threats to health from cold indoor temperatures. A healthy indoor temperature is 18oC to 21oC |
| 3 | Excess heat Threats due to high indoor temperatures |
| 4 | Asbestos and MMF Exposure to asbestos fibres and Manufactured Mineral Fibres (MMF) |
| 5 | Biocides Threats to health from chemicals used to treat timber and mould growth |
| 6 | Carbon Monoxide and fuel combustion products Excess levels of carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and smoke |
| 7 | Lead Threats to health from lead ingestion from paint, water pipes, soil and fumes from leaded petrol |
| 8 | Radiation Health threats from radon gas and its daughters, primarily airborne but also radon dissolved in water |
| 9 | Uncombusted fuel gas Threat from fuel gas escaping into the atmosphere within a property |
| 10 | Volatile organic compounds Threat to health from a diverse group of organic chemicals including formaldehyde that are gaseous at room temperature and can be found in a wide variety of materials in the home |
| 11 | Crowding and space Hazards associated with lack of space for living, sleeping and normal household or family life |
| 12 | Entry by intruders Problems keeping a property secure against unauthorised entry and maintaining defensible space |
| 13 | Lighting Threats to physical and mental health associated with inadequate natural or artificial light, including the psychological effects associated with the view from the property through glazing |
| 14 | Noise Threats to physical and mental health due to exposure to noise within the property or within its curtilage |
| 15 | Domestic hygiene, pests and refuse Health hazards due to poor design, layout and construction making it hard to keep clean and hygienic, attracting pests and inadequate and unhygienic provision for storing household waste |
| 16 | Food safety Threats of infection from poor provision and facilities to store, prepare and cook food |
| 17 | Personal hygiene, sanitation and drainage Threats of infections and threat to mental health associated with personal hygiene, including personal and clothes washing facilities, sanitation and drainage |
| 18 | Water supply Threats to health from contamination by bacteria, parasites, viruses and chemical pollutants due to the quality of water supply for drinking household use such as cooking, washing and sanitation |
| 19 | Falls associated with baths Falls associated with a bath, shower or similar facility |
| 20 | Falls on the level surfaces Falls on any level surface such as floor, yards and paths, including falls associated with trip steps, thresholds or ramps where the change in level is less than 300mm |
| 21 | Falls associated with stairs and steps Falls associated with stairs and ramps where the change in level is greater than 300mm. It includes internal stairs or ramps within a property, external steps or ramps associated with the property, access to the property and to shared facilities or means of escape from fire and falls over stairs, ramp or step guarding |
| 22 | Falls between levels Falls from one level to another, inside or outside a dwelling where the difference is more than 300mm. Including falls from balconies, landings or out of windows |
| 23 | Electrical hazards Hazards from electric shock and electricity burns |
| 24 | Fire Threats to health from exposure to uncontrolled fire and associated smoke. It includes injuries from clothing catching fire, a common injuring when trying to put a fire out. |
| 25 | Flames, hot surfaces and materials Burns or injuries caused by contact with a hot flame or fire, hot objects and non-water based liquids. Scalds caused by contact with hot liquids and vapours. |
| 26 | Collision and entrapment Risks of physical injuries from trapping body parts in architectural features such as trapping fingers in doors and windows and colliding with objects such as windows, doors and low ceilings |
| 27 | Explosions Threats from the blast of an explosion, from debris generated by the blast and from partial or total collapse of a building as a result of the explosion |
| 28 | Ergonomics Threats of physical strain associated with functional space and other features at the dwelling |
| 29 | Structural collapse and falling elements The threat of the dwelling collapsing or part of the fabric being displaced or falling due to inadequate fixing or disrepair or as a result of adverse weather conditions. |
[1] Schedule 1 of The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (England) Regulations and Sch.1 Housing Health and Safety Rating System (Wales) Regulations 2006.
[2] ss.28 and 29 Housing Act 2004.
We’re a landlord’s and
agent’s first call
We lead the way with evictions, helping landlords are agents nationally with a guaranteed eviction service and free advice line. Click to read our eviction service page.