I rent from Birmingham City Council. What can I do about housing issues?
You have the same legal rights as any other social housing tenant in England. Under Awaab's Law (in force October 2025), Birmingham City Council must investigate a significant hazard such as serious damp or mould within 10 working days and complete the safety work within 5 working days of finishing that investigation. An emergency hazard must be investigated and made safe within 24 hours.
If they've ignored you, the route is: (1) formal complaint to Birmingham City Council, (2) escalate to stage 2. If they still do not fix it (or 8 weeks pass with no proper response), you may have a claim, call us free on 0800 030 4669.
Birmingham City Council is the largest local-authority landlord in the UK, managing around 60,000 council homes across the city. The council declared effective bankruptcy (Section 114 notice) in September 2023, and while housing budgets are ring-fenced from that crisis, the wider service pressure on the council is real.
Three steps right now
- Report it in writing. Email or use Birmingham City Council's online portal. Phone alone doesn't create the paper trail you'll need later.
- Photograph everything, damp patches, broken fixtures, mould. Date-stamped if possible.
- Talk to us free if 21 days pass without action, we'll tell you honestly whether you have a claim worth pursuing.