The enforcement of housing standards in the
district is primarily undertaken by environmental health
officers based in the Council's Private Sector Housing Team.
Their duties include inspecting properties to assess health and
safety risks, dealing with
houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), the
licensing of HMOs, and domestic energy
efficiency.
If you are concerned about your housing conditions or would like
further information you can contact the Private Sector Housing Team
on 01394 444506 or email
ps.housing@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.
Housing health and safety
The Housing Act 2004 has made major changes to the way local
authorities enforce housing standards in their areas. The Fitness
Standard has now been replaced by the
Housing Health and Safety Rating System
(HHSRS).
The HHSRS is based on the likelihood of an occurrence that could
cause harm and an assessment of the severity of that potential
harm. This produces a score for each hazard in the dwelling, there
is no longer an overall assessment of the property.
The hazard scores are banded from A to J with band A being the
highest risk. Hazards that are in bands A to C are classified as
Category 1 Hazards, the remainder are classfied Category 2
Hazards. There are 29 hazards that can now be assessed in a
dwelling, many of which could not previously be considered under
the Fitness Standard.
Local authorities must take appropriate action where there is a
Category 1 Hazard and have a discretionary power to act in the case
of Category 2 Hazards.
There is a range of enforcement options available in the
Act:
- service of hazard awareness notice;
- service of an improvement notice;
- making prohibition order;
- emergency remedial action notice; and
- service of an emergency prohibition order.
A local authority must consider what action is appropriate
in the circumstances. Separate enforcement notices have to be
served for each hazard. Suffolk Coastal applies its
enforcement policy when
considering private sector housing
enforcement.