Steph Harrison MCIEH Independent Expert in Healthy Housing

Qualifications and Experience I am a member of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and qualified as a Public Health Inspector in 1974. I hold the Diploma in Public Health which is a professional qualification and is equivalent to a degree. In 2001 I obtained an honours degree from the University of Luton in surveying. In my final year I wrote a dissertation on damp in dwellings. Since qualification I have worked for various Local Authorities, principally in London but also in Derbyshire and Buckinghamshire. Whilst working in local government, I generally specialised in housing matters and, in that capacity, I have been responsible for inspecting houses and flats under housing and public health legislation. I would prepare and serve notices under the Housing Act, prepare and carry out work in default of the owners and supervise those works. I assessed and checked applications for housing grants. I have often given evidence in court and prepared evidence at public enquires. I have been a senior housing officer and achieved promotion to principal housing officer in two London Boroughs. I was neighbourhood officer in a decentralised authority in Inner London. As a general Public Health Inspector I have carried out investigations of infectious diseases, pest control, bacteriological sampling including sampling of untreated milk at the farm, small drainage works, food poisoning outbreaks, investigation of noise complaints, pollution from garden bonfires and demolition works, structural instability. I have obtained warrants for entry on at least three occasions. I have been witness at successful prosecutions for obstruction. I have inspected and prepared reports on caravan sites, houses in multiple occupation and hotels. I have worked in a slaughterhouse as a meat inspector. Since November 1974 I have been self-employed as an Environmental Health Consultant formerly with the Health & Housing Group. This is a group of independent consultants. As an independent consultant I have inspected more than 3000 dwellings and appeared in court on many occasions. I was a surveyor in the 2001 English House Condition Survey which included a weeks intensive training at Warwick University. I have investigated around 10 cases of ant infestation and been witness in two cases brought under the Environmental Protection Act relating to infestation of Pharaoh ant. I have been appointed as a single joint expert for housing trusts and private landlords in dispute with their tenants. I have also been accepted as a single joint expert by various County Courts. I am qualified as a National Home Energy Surveyor which required a days training followed by examination. On the 6th January 2004 I was awarded a certificate in Acoustic Engineering, Building Design, Inspection and Testing by the Association of Building Engineers. This qualification followed examination on acoustic design of a converted office block and means that I am qualified to consider structural details with regard to the requirements of part E of the Building Regulations. Part E refers to noise transmission between and within dwellings. On the 18th January 2008 I had an article published in Environmental Health News a weekly journal published by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health on the Housing Health and Safety Rating System. I am a corporate member of the Association of Building Engineers and have attended several courses with that group. I have attended courses amongst other things on rehabilitation of older property, statutory nuisance procedures, care and repair for older people and gas safety. I have arranged training for my colleagues on pest control at Cambridge Entomological Unit with Dr Maunder, the use of waterproof renders and the use of electronic damp meters with Dr Kemal Ahmet. I have led training on the use of data loggers in the examination of damp through floors and have carried out research on damp problems on floors. I am chairman of a private limited liability company which owns and lets several properties. I have been a local councillor and chair of housing in a provincial local authority. I am also on the board of the Brent Private Tenants Rights Group.

This web site was created with WebExpress version 3.0 on April 14th 2008. Please send your comments or questions to Steph Harrison MCIEH 4 Belmont Road Hemel Hempstead email Steph.harrison@ntlworld.com support@mvd.com © 2008 Steph Harrison . All rights reserved.