Environmental health practitioners (EHPs) play a vital role in protecting and improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. Working at the intersection of health, the environment and regulation, EHPs form a crucial part of the public health workforce, providing the first line of defence against threats to our health and safety. 

When most people think of public health, they picture doctors, nurses or hospitals. However, the EHPs are the people who work to make sure our food is safe to eat, our homes are fit to live in, our air is clean to breathe and our workplaces don’t put us at risk. We are the ones investigating outbreaks, following up on complaints and making sure businesses play their part in protecting the public. We deal with the everyday environments that shape our health long before anyone needs to see a doctor. 

What makes us so important is our mix of science, problem-solving and people skills. Those holistic, transferable skills drummed into us from the early days are key to what we do. 

One day, we might be tackling damp and mould that’s making a child unwell, the next, tracing the source of a food poisoning incident or advising on how to reduce air pollution in a busy town centre. Our work is practical, preventive and connected to the realities of people’s lives – even if, as is often the case, our work goes unseen. This aspect was explored during our recent Housing Roundtable, with guest Paul Oatt, CEnvH FCIEH, where we discussed workforce challenges and how environmental health continues to be the invisible profession. 

The pandemic exemplified this. EHPs played a vital role in helping to control outbreaks, advising local businesses, resourcing vaccination clinics and supporting vulnerable residents, which, in the most part, went unnoticed by the wider population.  

And as challenges emerge, from climate change to the cost-of-living crisis, we will continue to do our vital work of protecting community health, albeit behind the scenes.  

So, let’s take this week to celebrate public health professionals, including EHPs, and take a moment to think about all the incredible work we do to keep people safe, through focusing on prevention, not cure. And next time you think about public health, remember, it’s not just about hospitals and healthcare – it’s also about the work EHPs do every day to make our surroundings safer and healthier places to live. 

The latest updates and insights from RIAMS Chief Editor Jeremy Manners.

Welcome to the September edition of RIAMS Unpacked, where I’ll give you a quick update on what’s new, what’s been reviewed and anything significant that has come across my desk in the world of environmental health. 

Three new subscribing organisations have joined RIAMS Libraries, and Communities continues to thrive, with conversations around private water supplies, housing and environmental protection. 

The Housing Roundtable returned on 23 September, with guest speaker Paul Oatt, exploring the growing skills and knowledge shortage in PSH enforcement. The event was attended by 250 local authority colleagues from all over the country, who benefited from hearing about Paul's work, and contributed to a lively chat about the challenges and solutions facing the profession. The roundtable resources can be found here. 

Parliament returned from recess, allowing legislation in the pipeline to start making some progress before being abruptly paused again for party conference season. Steve Reed is the new secretary of state for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with a focus very much on building new homes.

There have been a number of housing-related stories in the news over the past few weeks. Following a recent report about a giant cat-sized rat found in a house in North Yorkshire, the BBC published a further article on the impact of empty homes, featuring an example in Bristol. It also highlighted the positive work carried out by South Gloucestershire Council in bringing 47 empty homes back into use this year. 

Another BBC News story highlighted the danger of children falling from windows, especially those in tower blocks, and the rise in hospital admissions and deaths from these falls: Thirteen children died after falling from windows in six years. The Government is seeking to address this through the revised Decent Homes Standard, with the requirement for child-resistant window restrictors on all windows that pose a risk of falls to children, in order for the home to be considered decent.  
 
Alan Davies, Director of Housing for RHE Global, appeared on Listen Up Landlords, the National Residential Landlords Association’s official podcast. Alan shared his thoughts on the Government’s proposed Decent Homes Standard and its potential impact on the private rented sector. Find the key takeaways from Alan’s appearance here. 

Jon Williams, RHE Global’s Sales Director, attended a regional Preparedness Workshop on the Renters’ Rights Bill, organised by Operation Jigsaw. Jon demonstrated how The Housing App can support local authorities in investigating complaints, transforming housing inspections and enforcement. The central theme of the presentation was that fundamental to positive outcomes are consistency, knowledge and training, together with technology that can save time and reduce uncertainty. Jon and I look forward to presenting at a national webinar next month, on 1 October.

Legal and regulatory insights

• The Renters’ Rights Bill has returned to Parliament where the Lords amendments are being considered. It is expected to be enacted in the coming weeks following the party conferences. 

• Draft electrical safety regulations have been put forward for socially rented homes. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) (Amendment) (Extension to the Social Rented Sector) Regulations 2025 will require social landlords to meet the same standards as already required in the private rented sector (to inspect and test the electrical installations in rented homes every five years), In addition, portable appliance testing will also need to be carried out on any electrical items supplied with the tenancy. The regulations come in on 1 November for new tenancies (granted from 1 December 2025) and on 1 May for existing tenancies (granted before 1 December). RIAMS procedures will be updated in preparation for the change.

• Government has published its response to the consultation on licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. This licensing regime will be partially administered by licensing authorities when implemented.

What’s new on RIAMS Libraries?

• During August, we reviewed 90 documents for England, Northern Ireland and Wales, and added 6 new documents to Libraries. We’ve also published the following e-learning and new documents for our RIAMS Libraries subscribers:  

• Becoming a Confident RIAMS Administrator (e-learning): This course guides you through the RIAMS system. Learn to navigate the platform, manage users, customise settings and master content creation and organisation.  

• Pavement Licensing under the Business and Planning Act 2020 (e-learning): This course provides an in-depth understanding of pavement licensing in England, including the application process, enforcement and appeals.  

• Navigating Awaab's Law: Guidance for Social Landlords (e-learning): Understanding Awaab’s Law is crucial for all social landlords in England. This e-learning assists practitioners working in social housing in understanding their responsibilities.   

• Guidance Note: Awaab’s Law (HP256E): This guidance focuses on Awaab’s Law and its impact on the social rented and private rented sectors in England.   

• Stating the Proposed Rent and Rental Bidding (HP257E): This procedure describes the provisions with regard to landlords having to state the proposed rent in advance, the aim being to abolish rental bidding. It focuses on financial penalties for breaching the prohibition on rental bidding, failing to publish an asking rent, or soliciting or accepting an offer exceeding the published amount.  

• Right to Request Permission to Keep a Pet (HP258E): This guidance note outlines how existing tenants will have an implied right to request to keep pets, which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.   

• Our friends at DASH Services have published an editable checklist for local authorities to provide to their landlords, which is now available on RIAMS: The Renters’ Rights Bill – Staying Compliant: A Practical Checklist for Landlords. You can subscribe to the DASH Newsletter by contacting Linda Cobb to receive their future updates.  

• Last but not least, Operation Jigsaw has also published the following resources, which are also easily accessible on RIAMS: Preparation Checklist for the Renters’ Rights Bill and Renters’ Rights Bill Leadership Focus – Briefing (Summer 2025).  

If your organisation doesn’t yet subscribe to RIAMS Libraries, contact RHE Global to request a free demonstration and trial.  

What’s new on RIAMS Communities? 

Our environmental health forums continue to thrive across all areas of environmental health, with lively conversation and debate. Join the discussion and network with colleagues here.  

Our Question of the Month for August, ably resolved by Dr Tim Everett, is Entrapment or Enforcement – Can councils lawfully pose as prospective tenants online to investigate unlicensed HMOs, and what legal risks does this involve? This one, although with a housing theme, is relevant to all areas of environmental health and local authority enforcement. If you have a legal or enforcement question that’s really bugging you, please send it to me at [email protected], and Tim will select a question each month to answer on RIAMS.  

Thank you to Jamie McGowan, Tribunal Advocate for Justice for Tenants, for sharing his blog on a really interesting First-tier Tribunal case (Onuoha v Ojukwu), which had been back and forth to the Upper Tribunal. The case centred on whether a landlord had a reasonable excuse defence due to some alleged errors on a council’s website. Read the blog here. 

RHE Global supports environmental health practitioners across all specialisms to work smarter, network and share best practices. Visit RIAMS to stay up to date with the latest environmental health developments and discussions. 

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Environmental health is all around us and at the heart of the work we do. Whether it’s advocating for safer housing, addressing the impact of noise pollution or exploring broader public health challenges, we’re proud to contribute knowledge and insights that help create healthier communities for everyone.

In honour of National Environmental Health Day, we’ve pulled together some of our most-read blogs and resources on key environmental health topics:

Housing

Evaluating Rent Smart Wales: Insights to Shape the Future of PRS Regulation. By RHE Global for Welsh Government

Review of Empty Homes and Private Sector Housing Engagement

Development of the Welsh Housing Quality Standard 2023 (WHQS 2023)

Suffolk-wide Private Rented Sector Pathfinder Programme: Pathfinder Project Support

Government-Commissioned Review of the Housing Health and Safety Rating System

Noise and Health

A Reminder About Statutory Nuisance

Noise Nuisance from Wind Turbines – A Recent Case

Health Risks from Pesticide Exposure Through Period Products

The Fruit-Flavoured Rebellion: Vaping is an environmental health issue

Environmental Health: The Bigger Picture

Environmental Health: The science that protects us all

Not Knowing Everything Isn’t a Weakness

We have also recently launched the RHE Global Podcast, a new platform designed to facilitate meaningful conversations around community safety, anti-social behaviour , policy changes, training and more. All episodes are now available to stream on Spotify, as well as appearing on our YouTube channel, and there’s much more to come.

We hope these resources spark ideas, support your work or simply inspire reflection on how our surroundings shape our wellbeing.

Listen Up Landlords is the National Residential Landlords Association’s (NRLA) official podcast, offering expert insight, practical advice and industry updates for landlords across the private rented sector. 

In the latest episode, hosts Ben Beadle and Richard Blanco explore a range of topical issues in the private rented sector, including the growing popularity of selling properties with tenants in situ, as well as a rise in student tenancy queries ahead of the new academic year. This episode also features insight from Alan Davies, Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner and Director of Housing at RHE Global, who contributes at the 17:45 mark, discussing the Government’s proposed Decent Homes Standard and what it could mean for landlords and local authorities as part of wider reforms.

Alan shared insights into the Government’s plans for the Decent Homes Standard and Awaab’s Law to apply not only to social housing but also to extend to the private rented sector. He explained that this move forms part of the wider reforms proposed in the Renters’ Reform Bill and is intended to create a more consistent, enforceable baseline for housing quality across both sectors.

Alan noted that many private rented homes already meet the proposed standard, and where improvements are needed, they often relate to a single issue, highlighting an opportunity for targeted action. He also stressed the importance of a clear implementation timeline, both to allow landlords time to plan and schedule necessary works and to enable local authorities to prepare for consistent and effective enforcement.

On the issue of damp and mould, Alan reinforced the growing expectation that landlords must take primary responsibility for investigating and addressing any building-related causes. At the same time, he acknowledged the role of tenant education and support in tackling the wider contributing factors.

Overall, the episode provides timely and practical insights for landlords navigating upcoming changes in the sector, particularly around property standards and compliance. You can find the full episode on the NRLA website or stream it on Spotify here.