Glossary
Category 1 hazard
Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), a hazard that poses a serious or immediate risk to health or safety, such as severe damp and mould, extreme cold, or exposed wiring. The council must take action against a Category 1 hazard.
Related terms
Maladministration
When a landlord fails to do something they should have done, or does something they shouldn't. The most serious category is 'severe maladministration', which an independent statutory ruling can find against a landlord.
Prohibition order
A council enforcement tool under the Housing Act 2004, served on a landlord when a Category 1 hazard makes a property unsafe to use. A full prohibition order stops anyone living in the property; a partial order closes specific parts (such as a room). The tenant's tenancy does not automatically end, and the landlord must rehouse them or meet alternative accommodation costs.
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By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.