HomeEast Sussex · Brighton & Hove
Housing disrepair claims in Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove is a unitary authority with around 11,000 council homes. Older Regency conversions, post-war estates, and a heavy private rented sector all sit under the same statutory duties.
What you need to know about repairs in Brighton & Hove
Brighton & Hove City Council directly manages around 11,000 council homes, one of the larger retained stocks on the south coast. The city's housing covers Regency-era terraces and converted flats, post-war estates at Whitehawk, Moulsecoomb and Hollingdean, and a private rented sector that swells in term-time with university tenants.
Awaab's Law has applied to every social landlord in the city since 27 October 2025: 24 hours to make an emergency hazard safe, 10 working days to investigate a significant hazard, 3 working days for a written summary, and 5 working days to complete the works. Brighton & Hove City Council and registered providers including Southern Housing (formerly Optivo), Hyde and Clarion are all bound by the same clock.
Older converted flats around Hanover, Kemptown and Hove have known damp and ventilation concerns. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 covers every rented home in the city, whether the landlord is the council, a registered provider or a private letting agent. The council's environmental health team is the enforcement route in for private rented disrepair.
Awaab's Law deadlines, in plain English
Awaab's Law started on 27 October 2025. It gives every social landlord in Brighton & Hove firm deadlines to fix dangerous problems once you report them. Here are the deadlines:
| Action | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Emergency hazard, make safe | 24 hours |
| Significant hazard, investigate | 10 working days |
| Written summary of findings | 3 working days after investigation |
| Complete the works | 5 working days after written summary |
See the full breakdown of what counts as an emergency vs significant hazard at /law/awaabs-law.
Major landlords in Brighton & Hove
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies to every rented home in Brighton & Hove, social or private. If your landlord is not listed above, the same rights apply.
Explore Brighton & Hove in depth
Has Brighton & Hove council been ignoring your repairs?
If you reported damp, mould, a leak, broken heating or another serious repair more than three months ago and the council has not fixed it, you may be entitled to make a formal housing disrepair claim. The law gives you the right to get the repairs done and to claim compensation for the time you have lived without them.
- No win, no fee. You pay nothing if the claim does not succeed
- Free initial advice. We tell you honestly if you have a case
- FCA-authorised claims management company
- SRA-regulated panel solicitors handle the legal work
How a claim works
- Tell your landlord in writing. First you report the problem to your landlord and ask them to put it right. Keep a copy of what you send and any reply. If they do not sort it out, you may have a claim.
- A no-win-no-fee claim. A panel solicitor takes your case. If you do not win, you pay nothing. If you win, you pay an agreed fee out of your compensation, never out of your own pocket, and we explain it clearly before you start. This is worth thinking about if the problem has gone on a long time, or the landlord keeps ignoring you.
We will tell you honestly whether you have a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669. Support for Tenants is a regulated company. We are not a solicitor. Panel solicitors run the cases.
Speak to an adviser about your Brighton & Hove home
Five-minute call. No upfront cost. We cover every postcode in England and Wales.
By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 22 June 2026. Checked by our SRA-regulated panel solicitors. This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case. Any compensation figures or ranges shown are illustrative only and not guaranteed; every case is different.