Reading S.9A: the fitness-for-habitation test

S.9A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, inserted by the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, asks a single question: is the dwelling fit to live in?

The 21 hazards it points to are practical, not abstract — damp, mould, excess cold, structural stability and more.

Evidencing fitness means describing the hazard, its severity and its effect on the occupier, in terms a non-surveyor can weigh.

We frame every finding against the statutory test so the report answers the question the court will actually ask.