Welsh FFHH guidance addresses 29 matters and circumstances plus specific alarm and electrical requirements. A certificate bundle is only part of the assessment. HHSRS enforcement and contractual fitness are related but distinct.
The 29 fitness matters
Use these plain-English prompts to organise observations, then read the official detail for each matter. They follow the statutory order. Record the location, severity, people affected and action needed. This list is not a survey or a pass certificate.
- Moisture, mould and the conditions that support their growth
- An excessively cold home
- Overheating
- Exposure to asbestos or manufactured mineral fibres
- Exposure to chemicals used to control pests or organisms
- Carbon monoxide and other harmful combustion products
- Exposure to lead
- Radiation, including radon
- Escaping fuel gas that has not burned
- Vapours from volatile organic chemicals
- Insufficient space and overcrowding
- Security against unauthorised entry
- Inadequate natural or artificial illumination
- Harmful noise exposure
- Hygiene, infestations and waste arrangements
- Facilities for storing, preparing and cooking food safely
- Washing facilities, toilets and drainage
- A suitable supply of water
- Slips or falls involving baths and showers
- Trips and falls on floors, paths and other surfaces
- Falls involving stairs, steps or ramps
- Falls from one level to another
- Electrical shock or burns
- Uncontrolled fire and smoke
- Burns and scalds from flames, hot surfaces or liquids
- Colliding with building features or becoming trapped
- Blast and explosion risks
- Facilities that are awkward or unsafe to reach or operate
- Failure of the structure or falling building parts
Use the 29 matters during an inspection
The list above is a way to examine the home, not a tick-box certificate. Record what you saw, who may be affected and the action needed.
- Walk through every room, the access and relevant shared parts. Include cold, damp, falls, fire, electrical hazards and security rather than limiting the visit to certificates.
- Note the household's circumstances where relevant to risk. A steep stair, cold room or difficult window may affect one occupant more seriously than another.
- Photograph defects, distinguish observations from a specialist diagnosis and allocate work with a responsible person and review date.
Check the specific electrical and alarm requirements
Keep these evidence checks alongside the wider assessment. A satisfactory EICR alone does not establish that a dwelling is fit.
- Check the electrical inspection date, outcome, recommended next inspection and remedial evidence. Use the shorter interval if the report requires one.
- Check smoke alarm provision on each storey used as living accommodation, mains power and interlinking against the Welsh requirements. Confirm operation and record locations.
- Check CO alarm coverage in rooms containing relevant gas, oil or solid-fuel appliances. Inspect the actual appliance and alarm arrangement rather than relying on an inventory description.
Respond when a fitness problem is reported
Acknowledge the report, assess urgency and arrange competent inspection or repair. Do not wait for the next routine visit where the reported condition may be unsafe.
- Keep the original report and a chronology of access, findings, work and communication. Explain interim precautions and the next appointment to the contract-holder.
- Where fitness or rent liability is disputed, obtain advice on the contract and legal position. Do not simply classify withheld rent as undisputed arrears without reviewing the alleged condition.
- Verify completion through the relevant report, tests or follow-up inspection. Keep a case open if the visible symptom has been covered but the cause remains uncertain.
Example: certificates are present but a stair is unsafe
A fictional property has current gas and electrical records, but a loose stair tread and missing handrail create a serious fall risk. Record and address that hazard as part of the fitness assessment. The presence of certificates does not settle the condition of the rest of the home.
What to do
- Review the whole dwelling and shared areas using the official 29-matter guidance.
- Record defects and prioritise action according to risk.
- Revisit unresolved issues after repairs.
Evidence to keep
- Dated condition record and photographs
- Repair decisions and completion evidence
Sources and guidance
- Fitness of homes for human habitation: landlord guidanceWelsh Government · checked 20 October 2026
- FFHH Regulations 2022: original regulations and Schedulelegislation.gov.uk · checked 20 October 2026