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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Government to reform health and safety standards

The government has announced that it will reform the Housing Health Safety Rating System (HHSRS) used to assess health and safety in the home to make it more accessible for landlords and tenants.

Recent consultation found that there was major support for the simplification of the HHSRS assessment, which is why the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has decided to overhaul the system that is used to assess if rented homes have hazards that could put tenants’ health at risk and can take action against landlords if they do not meet the standards.

The recommendations of the scoping carried out by the MHCLG set out three options for the second stage of the HHSRS review:

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+ Option one would be the minimum required to improve, clarify and modernise the HHSRS assessment.

+ Option two includes option one and will also address whether some hazard profiles can be removed or combined and to improve the guidance given to landlords and tenants.

+ Option three would result in a comprehensive review of the HHSRS assessment process by building on options one and two.

The government has decided to proceed with Option two as this will make the system easier to understand for landlords and tenants, correct the disconnect between the HHSRS and other legislative standards, and facilitate the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities. It is also the most cost-effective option.

In a statement MHCLG said: “Government will proceed with option two as this will make the system easier to understand for landlords and tenants, correct the disconnect between the HHSRS and other legislative standards, and facilitate the effective enforcement of housing standards by local authorities. It is also the most cost-effective option.”

The ARLA Propertymark is among several organisations to welcome the change to the HHSRS.

David Cox, chief executive, ARLA Propertymark, commented: “We’re pleased to hear the Housing Health and Safety Rating System will be updated and improved later this year.

“We have been calling for changes to the HHSRS for a long time, as it is too complicated and not understood by landlords, agents, tenants or local authorities.

“It is why alongside many others in the industry, and the highly respected academic Dr Julie Rugg, we believe a property MOT system would be better than the HHSRS, but the fact the Government is looking at the system is a step in the right direction.”

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    The biggest risk to tenants' health is their lifestyle. Smoking, poor diets, drying clothes indoors, not opening the windows and generally relatively inactive and indolent lifestyles. This is my experience over 20 plus years as a landlord.

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    • 15 July 2019 09:39 AM

    I dry clothes over my bath.
    The bathroom window is always open.
    Never had any mould or damp issues.................funny that!!!
    Soon as I'm up and about I open windows and French doors.
    The more ventilation the better.
    Do this in winter as well.
    Not with windows wide open of course but sufficient to facilitate adequate ventilation.
    Do tenants need to attend Window Opening Courses to explain to them what a wonderful device a window is and how it can be effectively used to engender a comfortable home free of mould and damp!!!!!!!!!!??????

    Simon D

    Yes, some do.

     
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    Simon, some do, but not many!

     
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    So will this exonerate those responsible for the Grenfell Tower deaths?

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    If Grenfell Tower had been owned by one of us private landlords we would already have been found guilty of corporate manslaughter and be serving a long prison term, funny how the law applies to some and not to others !

     
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    ARLA you are having a laugh, you are only in Business 11 yrs and dictating to us how everything should be, not surprising that you are singing the phrases of Dr Rugg centre of Gov’ housing Policy’s that destroyed us, Congratulations.

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    Agree,, council bods are clueless fools. They set HMO rules but dont apply them to themselves. They are the biggest LL in the UK and are to blame for the biggest fatal fire in the UK, which had nothing to do with windows closed or open. They dont inspect their properties like professional LLs do every 2 or 3 months and return until property is as per their tenancy agreement. Funny thing is when a tenant knows your coming on pre arranged day, windows are open when you call on an emergency windows are closed and cloths draped everywhere with heating on, even in the summer.
    I have lived in some 18 diffetrnt properties with my wife and family. When it rains cloths are dryed in doors never ever in over 40 years have i ever had damp or mould,, is that strange? no. Some tenants not all,just dont care.

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