How to write a complaint letter to your landlord

Direct Answer

A good disrepair complaint letter is short, factual, and dated. State the problem, list each affected room, refer to any previous reports by date, attach photographs, and ask for a written response within 10 working days (the Awaab's Law significant-hazard deadline). Send by email and keep a copy. If you must use post, send it by recorded delivery and keep the receipt.

What to include

A complaint letter does not need legal language. Use plain English and stick to facts. Include:

• Your full name, address, and tenancy reference if you have one.
• The date the disrepair started or was first noticed.
• A short list of each affected room and the problem in each.
• Dates of any previous reports (phone calls, emails, portal entries).
• The impact on you and anyone else in the household (cold rooms, asthma flares, ruined belongings).
• A request for a written response within 14 days confirming when an inspection will happen.
• A note that you are keeping photographic evidence.

End with "If the issue is not resolved I reserve the right to pursue this matter further." That single line signals you know your rights and tends to speed things up.

A short template

Dear [Landlord / Housing Officer],

>

I am writing to formally report disrepair at [address]. Despite reporting these issues on [date(s)], the following remain unresolved:

>

- [Room 1]: [problem, e.g. black mould on north wall, present since September 2025]

- [Room 2]: [problem]

>

The disrepair is affecting [me / my children / a household member with asthma]. I have attached dated photographs.

>

Please confirm in writing within 10 working days (the Awaab's Law significant-hazard deadline under Section 10A LTA 1985) when an inspection will take place, send me a written summary of your findings within 3 working days of that inspection, and begin the works within 5 working days of the investigation ending (a 12-week backstop applies to larger jobs). If the issue is not resolved I reserve the right to pursue this matter further.

>

Yours sincerely,

[Your name]

What to leave out

Do not threaten, swear, or include long emotional passages, they reduce your credibility. Do not exaggerate the timeline; landlords sometimes pull the original repair log to challenge dates. Stick to what you can prove.

If after 10 working days your landlord has not replied or has only sent a generic acknowledgement, that delay strengthens your position. You may have a claim, call Support for Tenants free on 0800 030 4669 for an eligibility check on a disrepair claim.

Free alternative: Shelter and Citizens Advice both offer free template complaint letters you can copy and paste, and will help you tailor them to your situation at no cost.

Sources

• Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, Section 11 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Awaab's Law: guidance for social landlords (GOV.UK)