Glossary
Glossary of Awaab’s Law terms.
The terms used in the Regulations and the guidance, each with its source.
23 terms
HHSRS
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System: a risk based tool, set out in regulation, used to assess health and safety hazards in homes. It currently covers 21 potential hazards.
Source: HHSRS Operating guidance, GOV.UK
Category 1 and category 2 hazards
A category 1 hazard is a hazard of a prescribed description whose score falls in the prescribed band for category 1. A category 2 hazard is one whose score is below that. Local housing authorities must act on category 1 hazards and have powers for category 2 hazards.
Emergency hazard
A relevant hazard that poses an imminent and significant risk of harm to the health or safety of an occupier of the social home. An imminent and significant risk of harm is a risk that a reasonable lessor with the relevant knowledge would make safe within 24 hours.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 3
Significant hazard
A relevant hazard that poses a significant risk of harm to the health or safety of an occupier of the social home. A significant risk of harm is a risk that a reasonable lessor with the relevant knowledge would make safe within 15 working days (but not within 24 hours).
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 3
Relevant hazard
A prescribed hazard that is not an excluded fire hazard, that arises from a deficiency in the home or in a building or land for which the lessor is responsible, and that is not wholly or mainly attributable to the lessee’s breach of a covenant or to disrepair the lessor is not obliged to make good.
Relevant knowledge
The knowledge that the lessor of the social home has, or reasonably ought to have, about the health and circumstances of the occupier.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 3(2)
Issue of concern
A relevant matter (a matter or circumstance that is or may be a significant or emergency hazard affecting a social home), or a material change relating to a relevant matter of which the lessor is already aware.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Investigation
The Regulations distinguish an emergency investigation (regulation 5), a standard investigation (regulation 6), a renewed investigation including physical inspection (regulation 7) and a further investigation (regulation 8). Each is carried out by a competent investigator.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Competent investigator
A person that, in the reasonable opinion of the lessor, has the skills and experience necessary to determine whether a social home is affected by a significant hazard or emergency hazard.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Make safe
In relation to a social home affected by a significant or emergency hazard, to remove the hazard in question.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Required work
Work that is necessary to make the home safe and, so far as is possible, to ensure the hazard does not recur, that the lessor can lawfully undertake, and that is not work for which the lessee is liable or work excluded by regulation 4.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 4
Relevant safety work
Any required work necessary to make a social home safe that is not cladding work.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Supplementary preventative work
Required work that is necessary to ensure, so far as is possible, that the hazard does not recur, that is not necessary to make the home safe, and that is not cladding work.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 12(5)
Working day
Any day other than a Saturday or Sunday, Christmas Day or Good Friday, or a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in England and Wales.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 2
Reasonable period
Regulation 13(4) requires supplementary preventative work to be completed within a reasonable period. The Regulations do not define a reasonable period, and GOV.UK describes the test as completing the work satisfactorily within a reasonable time period.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 13(4)
Registered provider
A social landlord registered with the Regulator of Social Housing. Registered providers may be local authorities or private registered providers of social housing, such as housing associations.
Local authority landlord
A local authority social landlord: a registered provider that is a local authority. The guidance notes that legislation and standards are sometimes different for local authority registered providers and private registered providers.
Initial remediation period
For an emergency hazard, 24 hours (from the emergency action period or from the end of the investigation); for a significant hazard, 5 working days beginning on the day after the investigation is completed. It decides when the temporary rehousing duty starts.
Source: SI 2025/1042, regulation 15(2)
Reasonable endeavours
In proceedings for breach of the implied covenant, it is a defence for the lessor to prove it used all reasonable endeavours to avoid the breach. GOV.UK describes this as taking all reasonable steps to comply where it was not possible for reasons genuinely beyond the landlord’s control.
Source: Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, section 10A(5); Awaab’s Law Phase 2 guidance, section 11
Statutory nuisance
Includes any premises in such a state as to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance.
Prevention of Future Deaths report
A report a coroner makes to a person or body with power to act when, in the coroner’s opinion, the evidence at an inquest reveals a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. The recipient must respond within 56 days. Made under paragraph 7 of Schedule 5 to the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013.
Maladministration and severe maladministration
In the Housing Ombudsman’s remedies guidance, maladministration is linked to a failure that adversely affected the resident. Severe maladministration is linked to serious failings by the landlord, a single significant failure or a series of them, with a seriously detrimental impact on the resident.