Part 1Housing conditions

Chapter 1Enforcement of housing standards: general

New system for assessing housing conditions

2Meaning of “category 1 hazard” and “category 2 hazard”

1

In this Act—

  • category 1 hazard” means a hazard of a prescribed description which falls within a prescribed band as a result of achieving, under a prescribed method for calculating the seriousness of hazards of that description, a numerical score of or above a prescribed amount;

  • category 2 hazard” means a hazard of a prescribed description which falls within a prescribed band as a result of achieving, under a prescribed method for calculating the seriousness of hazards of that description, a numerical score below the minimum amount prescribed for a category 1 hazard of that description; and

  • hazard” means any risk of harm to the health or safety of an actual or potential occupier of a dwelling or HMO which arises from a deficiency in the dwelling or HMO or in any building or land in the vicinity (whether the deficiency arises as a result of the construction of any building, an absence of maintenance or repair, or otherwise).

2

In subsection (1)—

  • prescribed” means prescribed by regulations made by the appropriate national authority (see section 261(1)); and

  • prescribed band” means a band so prescribed for a category 1 hazard or a category 2 hazard, as the case may be.

3

Regulations under this section may, in particular, prescribe a method for calculating the seriousness of hazards which takes into account both the likelihood of the harm occurring and the severity of the harm if it were to occur.

4

In this section—

  • building” includes part of a building;

  • harm” includes temporary harm.

5

In this Act “health” includes mental health.