No heating or hot water your landlord won't fix?
Get the repairs done and claim the compensation you may be owed. It starts with one call.
If you have broken heating and hot water in your home, your landlord must put it right by law. If you rent social housing in England, Awaab's Law applies. Once you report it, your landlord must act within 24 hours. How much you could claim depends on how long it lasted, how serious it was, and any effect on your health. There is no fixed timescale, though months rather than days is realistic. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
England: Section 11(1)(b), Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Wales: Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 repair and fitness duties.
Symptoms
- No heating at all (radiators stay cold)
- No hot water (boiler not firing, intermittent)
- Boiler making banging, hissing, or kettling noises
- Heating that only works on some radiators
- Cold rooms even with thermostat turned up
Health impact
- Risk of getting dangerously cold, especially for older people and babies
- Cold homes can make existing heart problems worse
- Chest and breathing problems from damp, cold air
Evidence to gather
- Note the dates the heating failed and every report you made (text or email works well)
- Photograph thermostat readings + outside temperature on the same day
- Keep receipts for any electric heaters, blankets, or temporary fixes you bought
Evidence
How to photograph the problem
Good photos make your case stronger. A surveyor or solicitor needs to see where the problem is, how bad it is, and when you took the photo.
- Wide shot: shows which room and wallStand in the doorway and photograph the whole wall, so it is clear where in your home the problem is.
- Close-up: shows what the problem isGet near enough that the damage fills the frame and is in focus.
- Include something for scaleA hand, a coin or a ruler in the frame shows how big the problem really is.
- The date on your phone is your recordKeep the original photo on your phone. Its saved date is a record of when you took it.
If something looks dangerous, like bare wires or a bulging ceiling, do not get close. Photograph it from the doorway and report it straight away.
Get your evidence ready
You do not need everything on this list to call us.
Your written reports to the landlordEmails, portal messages or letters, with their dates.
Receipts for anything ruinedClothes, bedding, furniture or extra heating costs.
Dated photos of each problemPhotos on your phone keep the date they were taken.
A wider photo of each affected roomShows where the problem is in your home.
The landlord's repliesWhat they said, and when, or the silence itself.
Dates of phone callsA simple note of when you called and what was said.
Your doctor's note if health was affectedA short letter linking symptoms to the home helps.
Your tenancy agreementConfirms who your landlord is and when you moved in.
A note of when the problem startedThe clock starts when your landlord knew about it.
Ticks are saved only on this device.
This really happens
An independent statutory ruling found severe failings after Hackney Council failed to treat a heating and hot water complaint as an emergency, leaving a resident with asthma without heating and hot water for five months, including over winter.
Source: Independent statutory ruling, Learning from Severe Failings (May 2025) · case 202343128. This is a published decision, not a Support for Tenants client.
Another route: Environmental Protection Act, Section 82
If your boiler has been condemned or chronically broken, Section 82 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 is often the faster route. 21 days written notice to the landlord, then Magistrates' Court.
Read about the EPA Section 82 routeFrequently asked questions
How much money can I claim for broken heating and hot water?
How much you could get depends on how bad it is, how long it went on, and how it affected your health, so we cannot promise a figure. No upfront cost. You only pay if you win, and the fee comes out of the compensation, not your pocket. If you don't win, you pay nothing.
How long does a broken heating and hot water claim take?
There is no fixed time. Months rather than days is realistic, and it depends on your evidence, how your landlord responds, and how complex the problem is. If you rent social housing in England, Awaab's Law (Section 10A LTA 1985, started 27 October 2025) gives your landlord 24 hours to act. Wales uses the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 instead.
What proof do I need for broken heating and hot water?
Photos and videos with the date on them. A note of when you told your landlord and what they said. A letter from your doctor if anyone has been ill.
Can I claim if I owe rent?
Yes. Owing rent does not stop you making a disrepair claim. They are separate things in law. We will talk through your situation honestly.
How long can a landlord leave you without heating or hot water?
Not long. No heating or hot water is usually an emergency, especially in cold weather or if anyone in the home is very young, elderly, or unwell. Under Awaab's Law your landlord must make an emergency hazard safe within 24 hours. If they leave you without heating or hot water in a council flat or a housing association home, that delay can be the basis of a claim.
Can I get compensation for no heating or hot water?
Yes, if you reported it and your landlord did not fix it in a reasonable time. Compensation usually includes some of your rent back for the time the home was not properly heated, money for the distress, and the cost of things like the electric heaters you had to buy. On no win, no fee, the fee only comes out of your compensation if you win, never out of your own pocket.
Read more about broken heating and hot water
Put it in writing
A written record helps your case. Copy a free, plain-English template, fill in the brackets, and send it to your landlord.
Related
Broken heating and hot water at your landlord
Repair deadlines and your rights for broken heating and hot water with these social landlords.
Broken heating and hot water where you live
Your rights for broken heating and hot water in these areas.
This is worth a claim
Published decisions show what landlords were made to pay tenants across England in one recent year. A panel solicitor can advise what may be recoverable for broken heating and hot water in an individual claim.
- £5.4m
- compensation ordered for tenants in one year
- 26,901
- orders and recommendations made
- 578
- cases had orders over £2,000
- Almost £32,000
- the largest single order
Figures from the independent statutory review, Annual Complaints Review 2024 to 2025. These are sector-wide outcomes for social housing tenants in England.
Read deeper, Broken heating
Practical Q&As, legal context, and named case studies on this topic. Every link below is a Support for Tenants page.
By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 15 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, not a promise; every case is different.