Improvement notice
A formal notice from the council requiring a landlord to carry out specified works to remove or reduce a hazard by set dates.
In short: An improvement notice is served by a council under the Housing Act 2004 after it finds a hazard under the HHSRS. It lists the works and the dates by which they must start and finish. The landlord can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal; failing to comply is a criminal offence.
England. Checked against the law on 5 October 2026. Information, not legal advice.
Section 11 of the Housing Act 2004 covers notices for category 1 hazards and section 12 for category 2.
What a landlord should know:
- The notice says which hazards were found, what work is required and the timetable.
- An appeal to the First-tier Tribunal is usually possible within 21 days.
- Not complying is an offence: the council can prosecute or impose a civil penalty of up to £40,000, and can do the work itself and recover the cost.
- Not complying is also a ground for a rent repayment order.
Tenants who report problems in writing give the council a clear record to act on.
Related: Category 1 hazard, Civil penalty, Rent repayment order
Where this comes from
Related terms
Glossary
Awaab's Law
Rules setting fixed times for landlords to investigate and fix damp, mould and other serious hazards. In force for social housing; due to be extended to private lets.
Glossary
Category 1 hazard
The most serious level of hazard under the HHSRS. When a council finds one in a home, it must take enforcement action.
Glossary
Decent Homes Standard
A standard a home must meet: free of serious hazards, in reasonable repair, with reasonably modern facilities and warm. Applies to social housing; planned for private lets.
Glossary
EICR codes: C1, C2, C3 and FI
The codes an electrician uses on an EICR: C1 danger present, C2 potentially dangerous, FI further investigation needed, C3 improvement recommended.
Glossary
Fitness for human habitation
The legal requirement that a rented home is fit to live in at the start and throughout the tenancy, which tenants can enforce themselves in court.
Glossary
Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS)
The method councils in England use to assess hazards in homes, such as damp, cold, falls and fire, and decide whether to take action against the landlord.