Repairs and your landlord's duties
What your landlord legally owes you, the deadlines they have to meet, and the complaint routes when they ignore you.
Guides in this topic
37 plain-English guides. 3 to 5 minute reads, no jargon, free to use.
What are your rights as a tenant? Landlord obligations under UK law
Plain-English guide to your rights as a tenant in England and Wales. Section 11, the Fitness for Human Habitation Act, Awaab's Law, repair timeframes, and what to do if your landlord ignores you.
Read · 6 min
What is Section 11? (Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, plain English)
Section 11 is the law that makes your landlord responsible for repairs to the structure, exterior, and key services of your home. Plain English explainer.
Read · 2 min
What is Awaab's Law? (plain English)
Awaab's Law sets strict legal deadlines for social landlords to fix damp, mould, and emergency hazards. Here's what it means for tenants.
Read · 2 min
Does Awaab's Law apply to private tenants?
Awaab's Law is one of the most talked-about changes to renter protections in recent years. If you rent privately and your home has damp or mould, you may
Read · 3 min
Who was Awaab Ishak and why did his death change the law?
Awaab Ishak was a two-year-old boy from Rochdale who died on 21 December 2020. A coroner found that he died from a respiratory condition caused directly by
Read · 4 min
How quickly must my landlord fix an emergency repair?
Emergency repairs (gas leaks, no heating in winter, exposed wiring) must usually be made safe within 24 hours. Here's the law for England and Wales.
Read · 2 min
How long can a landlord leave you without heating?
No heating or hot water is an emergency. Social landlords must make it safe within 24 hours under Awaab's Law. Here is the law and what to do.
Read · 3 min
How long can a landlord leave you without hot water?
No hot water is an emergency. Social landlords must make it safe within 24 hours under Awaab's Law. Here is the law and what to do.
Read · 1 min
How long should a repair take?
There is no single deadline for every repair, but emergencies must be quick and routine repairs should not drag on. Here is a simple guide for tenants.
Read · 1 min
Is my landlord responsible for pests and infestations?
Often yes. If pests get in because of disrepair, like holes or damp, it is your landlord's job to fix the cause. Here is the law and what to do.
Read · 2 min
Carbon monoxide: your landlord's duties and what to do
Carbon monoxide is a silent, deadly gas from faulty boilers and heaters. Your landlord must fit a CO alarm where there is a fixed combustion appliance and fix faulty ones. Here is what to do.
Read · 2 min
Electrical safety: your landlord's duties and the EICR
Your landlord must keep the electrics safe and have them checked at least every 5 years (an EICR). Here is what that means, the warning signs, and what to do if it is unsafe.
Read · 2 min
Asbestos in your home: what it is and what to do
Many older homes contain asbestos. Left alone and in good condition it is usually safe, but damaged asbestos is dangerous. Here is what to do and what your landlord must do.
Read · 2 min
Can I be charged for repairs in my council flat? (Rechargeable repairs explained)
Councils can charge tenants for repairs they cause through damage, neglect, or unauthorised alterations. Section 11 disrepair, fair wear and tear, and accidental damage are not rechargeable. Here's the line.
Read · 5 min
The council is ignoring my repairs. What can I do?
If your council or housing association ignores repairs, you have rights. Awaab's Law sets deadlines for repairs. Here is how to act.
Read · 2 min
How to write a complaint letter to your landlord
A free template and structure for a disrepair complaint letter that gets results. What to include, what to leave out, and where to send it.
Read · 2 min
How to ask for an HHSRS inspection of your home
An HHSRS inspection is how the council checks your home for serious hazards like damp, mould and cold. Here is who can ask, how to do it, and what happens next.
Read · 2 min
Fire safety: what your landlord must do
Broken fire doors, faulty smoke alarms or blocked escape routes are repairs your landlord must fix. If they ignore them, it can be part of a disrepair claim. For danger now, call 999.
Read · 1 min
Gas safety: your landlord's duties (and what to do if you smell gas)
Your landlord must get an annual gas safety check and give you the record. If you smell gas, call 0800 111 999. Here are your gas-safety rights as a tenant.
Read · 1 min
Gas safety check overdue: what to do if your CP12 is missing or out of date
Your landlord must carry out an annual gas safety check on all gas appliances in your home and give you a copy of the certificate. If this has not happened,
Read · 3 min
Will I have to move out while repairs are done?
For most repairs you can stay. But if major work makes a home unsafe to live in, your landlord may move you out temporarily. This is called a decant. Here is what to expect.
Read · 1 min
Do I have to let my landlord in to do repairs?
You usually must give your landlord reasonable access to inspect and repair, with notice. Refusing can delay your repair. Here is how access works.
Read · 1 min
Landlord access for repairs, when can they come in and when can they not?
Your landlord must give 24 hours' written notice before entering for repairs. Here is what they can and cannot do, and how to handle disputes.
Read · 3 min
Fire safety in flats, EWS1 forms, cladding and your rights
Since Grenfell, fire safety in flats is a high-priority concern. Here is what your landlord owes you, what an EWS1 form is, and what to do if you think your home is not safe.
Read · 4 min
The Right to Repair Scheme for council tenants, what it is and how to use it
The Right to Repair Scheme gives council tenants set timescales for small urgent repairs, plus compensation if missed. Here is how to use it.
Read · 3 min
Smoke alarms: your landlord's legal duty
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms save lives. In rented properties, landlords have specific legal duties to install and maintain them. You will find out what
Read · 3 min
Communal areas: who is responsible for repairs?
Broken lifts, unlit stairwells, crumbling entrance lobbies: find out who is legally responsible for communal areas and what to do when repairs are ignored.
Read · 4 min
The Decent Homes Standard: what your home must be like
The Decent Homes Standard sets out what social housing must be like to be considered acceptable. Find out what the four criteria are and what happens if your home does not meet them.
Read · 4 min
How to make a formal complaint to your landlord
Step-by-step guide to the two-stage social housing complaints process, what to put in your letter, and when to take things further.
Read · 4 min
My landlord keeps promising to fix repairs. What can I do?
If your landlord keeps promising repairs but never does them, the legal clock is already running. Here is how to escalate and when to get legal help.
Read · 3 min
What Section 11 does NOT cover: the limits of your landlord's repair duty
Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 gives tenants important repair rights. But it does not cover everything. Knowing what falls outside Section 11
Read · 4 min
EICR: Electrical Installation Condition Report and your rights as a tenant
Since 1 April 2021, private landlords in England must have the electrical installation in their rental properties inspected and tested at least every 5 years
Read · 4 min
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS): explained
The Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) is the legal framework that councils use to assess hazards in residential properties. Understanding how
Read · 4 min
What repairs are the tenant's responsibility?
Not every maintenance task in a rented home is the landlord's job. There is a category of minor, day-to-day maintenance that tenants are responsible for,
Read · 3 min
Legionella and water safety: your landlord's duty
Legionella is a bacteria that can grow in water systems and cause Legionnaires' disease, a serious form of pneumonia. Landlords have a legal duty to manage
Read · 3 min
Can you carry out repairs yourself and deduct the cost from your rent?
If your landlord has ignored a repair request and you are living with a serious problem, you may have heard that you can fix it yourself and take the cost
Read · 3 min
The difference between repairs and improvements: what your landlord must do
One of the most common disputes between landlords and tenants is whether the work that needs doing is a repair (which the landlord must carry out) or an
Read · 3 min
Free tools that might help
Ready to take a step? These are free to use, with no email required.
Build a complaint letter
Make a formal disrepair letter to your landlord that cites the right law. Free, no email needed.
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Estimate your compensation
Move three sliders to see a rough compensation range for a disrepair claim. No form, no email.
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Free letter templates
Plain-English letters to copy, fill in or print: to your landlord, for complaints, and a repair diary.
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This is what we do. You may have a claim.
If your landlord has left your home in disrepair, we can check whether you have a claim. Free call, no pressure. No upfront cost; you only pay if we win.