Downloads

DASH Publications
LACORS publications
DASH Video
Decent Homes Standard
HHSRS Downloads
HHSRS Worked Examples
House Condition Survey
Fire Safety Guides
Health & Safety Guides
Guides to HMOs & Licensing
Migrant Workers
Accreditation
Safety in the Home
Tenancy Support

The following documents have been compiled for your benefit, please feel free to download them.

DASH Publications

The Housing Act 2004 - How it Affects You [809kb] (Public leaflet)
The Housing Act 2004 - The Effect on Landlords [562kb] (Landlords leaflet)
Inventory Guidance [229kb]
Inventory [1.98mb] (Word version)
Inventory [120kb] (pdf version)
Inventory Example [95kb]
Furniture and Furnishings Fire Safety Regulations [183kb]
Housing Act 2004 Guidance - Tenancy Deposit Protection Schemes [1.70mb] - A Guide for Landlords and Tenants
Housing Act 2004 Guidance - Local Authority Enforcement Options [194kb] - A Landlord's Guide
Housing Act 2004 Guidance - Amenities & Space in HMOs [1.68mb] - A Landlord's Guide
Housing Act 2004 Guidance - The 29 Hazards [346kb] - A Landlord's Guide
The Ideal Property [0.99mb] - A landlords Guide on how to cope with HHSRS and the 29 Hazards
Buying to Let [1.81mb]: A Landlords Guide
Private Rented Sector Tenant Information Guide - Choosing a Home to Rent [653kb] (detailed version)
Private Rented Sector Tenant Information Guide - Choosing a Home to Rent [240kb] (A5 condensed version)
Private Rented Sector Tenant Information Guide - Choosing a Home to Rent - Property Checklist [76kb] (A5 version to take when viewing properties)
Houses in Multiple Occupation - Licensing Guide for Landlords [237kb]
HMOs & Other Shared Houses - Management Guide for Landlords [323kb]
Enforcement Options [3.38mb] ~ Other than those in Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004.

LACORS Private Sector Housing publications overview: 2007-2009

Over the past three years, LACORS has produced pertinent information and guidance on major topics affecting the private rented sector, subjects covered include@

HMO Licensing Survey report
Fire safety
Practical advice/ top tips for new landlords and tenants
Crowding and space
Information for Councillors
Electrical safety (jointly with the Electrical Safety Council)
Landlord development (jointly with Accreditation Network UK)

The Decent Homes Standard

The Decent Homes Standard [221kb] - A Landlord's Guide
Decency Standard Inspection Form - Flats only [56kb]
Decency Standard Inspection Form - Houses and Bungalows [56kb]

The CLG has produced guidance on the Decency Standard that was revised in 2006. The guidance explains a number of Decent Homes policy amendments and seeks to clarify issues that have arisen in the implementation of the programme. Please follow the link below to the revised guidance. A Decent Home: Definition and guidance for implementation

Further information on the process of implementing the Decency Standard and the effect on tenants can be found by following the link below: Directgov: Decent Homes standard

Housing Health & Safety Rating System Downloads

Risk Training Guide [306kb] for HHSRS. An introduction to risk and how risk concepts apply in the Housing Health and Safety Rating System - courtesy of Bristol City Council.
A Landlord's Guide to HHSRS [539kb] - Essential Information for Landlords and Agents. Published by Asset Skills.
Overview to the Housing Health and Safety Rating System [116kb] - commissioned by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Housing Health and Safety Rating System - guidance for landlords and property related professionalsfrom the Communities and Local Government (CLG)
Determining the Most Appropriate Course of Action [78kb] - A guide for Housing Officers having carried out an HHSRS inspection

HHSRS Worked Examples

These examples are the opinions of a group of over 20 housing practitioners in the East Midlands. They represent the current state of judgement and practice amongst those officers and are not intended as model answers but are offered for peer review.

Example 1 - Crowding and Space [71kb]
Example 2 - Falls on the Level [323kb]
Example 3 - Falls associated with Stairs and Steps [78kb]
Example 4 - Internal Stairs [288kb]
Example 5 - Falls between Levels [371kb]
Example 6 - Excess Cold [121kb]
Example 7 - Entry by Intruders [120kb]
Example 8 - Food Safety [113kb]
Example 9 - Structural Collapse [199kb]
Example 10 - Falls on Stairs [394kb]
Example 11 - Excess Cold [489kb]
Example 12 - Asbestos [380kb]
Example 13 -Falls on Stairs - internal [482kb]
Example 14 - Falls on Sairs - external [711kb]
Example 15 - Food safety [431kb]
Example 16 -Electrical [300kb]
Example 17 - Structural Collapse [211kb]
Example 18 - Damp and Mould [475kb]

Please note: These examples do not form any degree of national standard and have not been accepted as law, therefore regional variations are possible. Compliance with all relevant laws should be sought from the local authority or local fire service before implementing any fire safety standard.

House Condition Survey

The English House Condition Survey 2005 provides a detailed account of living conditions. The report covers a number of key policy areas including decent homes, vulnerable households, the equality of the local environment, energy efficiency and disparities in living conditions.

Fire Safety Guides

The new Housing - Fire Safety guidance is available on the LACoRS website.

DASH Guide - Furniture & Furnishings - Fire and Safety [183kb]
A Guide to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire / Safety) Regulations [347kb]
Fire Safety Risk Assessment checklist.
This Fire Safety Guide covers properties whose primary purpose is for use as sleeping accommodation in the common areas of flats, maisonettes and HMO’s, but does not cover private dwellings. Part 1 of the guide gives advice on how to avoid fires and how to ensure people’s safety if a fire does start. Part 2 provides further information on evaluating the risk of fire and its prevention in your premises.
Fire Alarms in Dwellings. An explanation of the various grades and types of fire alarm system that may be requied to comply with local fires safety standards.

Health & Safety Guides

Gas Safety for Tenants. [206kb] This leaflet contains important information regarding gas appliances. Published by the Health & Safety Executive.
Gas Safety for Landlords. [159kb] A guide to landlords' duties. Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. This leaflet is aimed at landlords and explains some of the main requirements of the regulations.

Guides to HMOs and Licensing

The Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses [91kb] (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006. (Statutory Instruments)
Landlord's Guide to HMO Licensing [35kb] - Overview. Published by CIEH and HMO Network. (36KB)
East Midlands HMO Licensing Application Form [1.43mb] - Please note: Local Authorities may have their own variations on this form, we advise landlords to contact them directly (see Licensing page for relevant Local Authority Contact details).

Migrant Workers

Advice for Migrant Workers:

The details given in these leaflets are designed to provide migrant workers with useful information covering many aspects of living and working in the UK. These documents contain additional links that you can use to take you to the relevant website or e-mail.

English [284kb]
Latvian [344kb]
Lithuanian [310kb]
Polish [354kb]
Russian [337kb]

Accreditation

DASH have commissioned the development of two Best Practice documents - See How to develop a Landlord Accreditation Scheme [4.82mb] and How to develop a Tenant Accreditation Scheme [949kb]
Landlord Accreditation Guide - Housing. [255kb] Private landlords can benefit from belonging to a local accreditation scheme - this leaflet produced by the Communities and Local Government explains.
DASH have surveyed the East Midlands Landlord Accreditation Schemes. See the Survey [174kb] and Summary [15kb] for details.
Universities in the UK must comply with the UUK Approved Code of Practice with regard to the management of HMOs. This is made under section 233 of the Housing Act 2004.
View Members and Buildings listed under the Universities UK Approved Code of Practice.
The ANUK/IDeA Landlords Development Manual contains the basic level of knowledge required for a landlord. It is a model course intended for use by Accreditation Scheme Operators who wish to provide training for their landlords. It will also benefit a range of landlords and letting agents. It relates equally to property standards, management and landlord and tenancy matters.

Safety in the Home

The East Midlands Avoidable Injury Group is a partnership organisation which provides much guidance in helping to reduce injuries in the home. They state "We aim to add value to the task of reducing accidents and avoidable injury in the East Midlands through undertaking research, developing valuable tools and by providing easy access to resources that currently exist"
The Audit Commission's report Better Safe than Sorry is a comprehensive survey of unintentional injuries to children in the home and is important for anyone concerned with safety in dwellings.
Electrical Safety Council's Guide to Electrical Safety a publication for landlords.

Tenancy Support

For those wishing to offer support to tenancies that are at risk this is a comprehensive survey into exising schemes and publications of the newly developing practice.

Written by Accent Regeneration, the Research of Tenanacy Support Schemes focuses on the development and delivery of tenancy support schemes.

The results of a survey and interviews form the basis of the content of this document along with research into other tenancy support based publications, Government policy and legislative guidance.

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