Both private landlords, social landlords and contract-holders (tenants), property owners have responsibility for keeping a property well maintained. The landlord has the responsibility of ensuring the property is in good repair.
Contract holders (tenants) should advise their private landlord about any repairs that are needed to the property and once reported, private landlords should inspect and carry out any necessary repairs.
We may be able to offer help and advice if a private landlord ignores a contract holder's request or refuses to carry out necessary repairs.
Report a disrepair in your rented property
Report a landlord
If we have to visit a property we will use the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) to make an assessment (pdf).
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) introduced a new risk assessment system. This affects all owners and landlords, including social landlords. It focuses on identifying and tackling the hazards that are most likely to be present in housing to make homes healthier and safer to live in.
The system has 29 hazards relating to:
- Dampness, excess cold/heat
- Pollutants e.g., asbestos, carbon monoxide, lead
- Lack of space, security or lighting, or excessive noise
- Poor hygiene, sanitation, water supply, drainage
- Accidents - falls, electric shocks, fires, burns, scalds
- Collisions, explosions, structural collapse
Each hazard is assessed separately, and if determined to be 'serious', with a 'high score', this is deemed to be a category 1 hazard. All other hazards are called category 2 hazards.
A risk assessment looks at the likelihood of an incident arising from the condition of the property and the likely harmful outcome.
If a local authority discovers category 1 hazards in a home, it has a duty to take the most appropriate action. The local authority has a discretion to take action to resolve category 2 hazards.
Where there are unacceptable hazards in the property, The Environmental Health Housing Team will contact the private landlord to discuss the condition and the options available.
The Housing Act 2004
The Housing Act 2004 gives the Local Authority power to charge for enforcement action under section 49 and to recover these costs. Action is taken to eliminate identified hazards as defined by the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS).
Housing Act 2004 Notice Fees - £476.24 and each additional notice (where schedule is identical) served on another recipient at the same time (charges added and split equally across recipients) additional £64.11
If property owners are worried over conditions within their own home, Environmental Health Housing offers Owner request for a property inspection/survey - £253.12 (£303.74 total including VAT).
Request a property inspection/survey
It is for homeowners to maintain their property and to ensure it is kept in a good condition. If you are on benefits, help is available: Energy efficiency and the Welsh Government's Nest scheme.
Social Tariffs - Every water company has a social tariff scheme which can help reduce your bills if you are on a low income. Who is eligible for help and the level of support varies depending on your water company please contact Dwr Cymru.
In addition, you can contact Citizen Advice and your energy company to see if they can lower your direct debits and spread bills over a longer period of time.
Renting Homes Wales Act 2016
The way you rent has changed - for tenants and landlords.
The Renting Homes Act was the biggest change to housing law in Wales for decades. From 1 December 2022 the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 changed the way all landlords in Wales rent their properties.
It has improved how we rent, manage, and live-in rented homes in Wales.It has brought in changes in addition to gas safety, carbon monoxide safety and electrical safety.
Read more on the Welsh Government website and Renting Homes Wales Act
Further information