Fire Risk Assessment & HHSRS FAQs for Cornwall Landlords

We are based in St Austell and cover the whole of Cornwall — including Truro, Bodmin, Newquay, Liskeard, Falmouth, Penzance, Camborne, Redruth, Launceston, Looe and Fowey — plus parts of Devon. If you're unsure whether we cover your location, just give us a call or send us a message.

We work with private landlords, letting agents, property managers, and housing associations, holiday let operators and small business owners, supporting them with compliance and safety requirements.

We just ask that you ensure clear access to all parts of the property. We'll guide you through anything else we may need ahead of time.

The business owner is responsible for securing a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment, not the landlord or freeholder. The landlord or freeholder is only responsible for securing a fire risk assessment for any communal areas in the building.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is a method used by local authorities to assess housing conditions. It identifies and rates potential hazards to the health and safety of tenants.

If a tenant has raised concerns, or if the council carries out an inspection, they may use the HHSRS to judge whether your property is safe. Landlords often commission a private assessment to check compliance and prevent enforcement action.

It looks at 21 categories of potential hazards — streamlined from the previous 29 in the June 2026 update — including damp and mould, fire safety, excess cold or heat, structural safety, electrical hazards, and security.

The revised system came into force on 23 June 2026. The old A–J hazard bands were replaced with three ratings — High, Medium and Low risk — and while the terminology changed, the underlying safety threshold remains largely the same: a hazard score of 1,000 or above still triggers the highest level of intervention. The number of hazards dropped from 29 to 21 as several overlapping ones were merged, baseline indicators were introduced with examples including damp and mould, ventilation, heating provision and fall prevention, and the scope of fire-related hazards widened to include smoke and fumes, explosions and structural collapse resulting from fire. Our team has completed the HHSRS 2026 transition training with RHE Global.

There's no blanket requirement for a landlord to commission one privately — but all landlords must ensure their property is free from Category 1 hazards. Local councils can carry out an HHSRS inspection and take enforcement action if hazards are found.

It's a report that assesses whether a rental property meets current housing standards, fire safety requirements, and other relevant regulations — often including an HHSRS check. It's a proactive way for landlords to demonstrate compliance.

A qualified assessor will inspect the property, identify hazards, score them according to the HHSRS system, and recommend actions to reduce risks.

For a typical house or flat, it usually takes 1–2 hours on site, plus time to prepare the written report.

Only someone with suitable training and knowledge of the HHSRS and housing law should conduct the inspection — usually a qualified housing or environmental health professional.

The report will outline the severity (Category 1 or 2) and recommend remedial action. If a local authority inspection also finds hazards, they can serve notices or carry out emergency remedial work at the landlord's expense. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, local authorities have additional powers to issue Civil Penalty Notices of up to £7,000 per Category 1 hazard identified.

There's no set frequency, but a review is recommended when tenants change, after major works, or if issues are reported. Many landlords do annual compliance checks.

Yes. A private assessment can highlight problems before the council gets involved, giving you time to fix them and avoid fines or legal action.

Costs vary depending on property size, location, and complexity. The cost is small compared to potential enforcement penalties or repair costs after a hazard is found.