Support for Tenants
Council · 33,000 homes

How to complain about London Borough of Lambeth, and what to do if they ignore you

Lambeth Council manages around 33,000 homes across the borough. It has been the subject of repeated independent statutory rulings on damp, mould and structural repairs, and its own published TSM 2024-25 overall satisfaction figure (47.2%) was among the lowest of any council in the dataset.

A British housing-association apartment block

Lambeth tenants reporting damp or mould often face long surveyor wait times. An independent statutory ruling has criticised the council for treating repeat reports of the same issue as separate matters rather than escalation. Keep a clear timeline showing every contact date, that pattern is what proves systemic failure, not an isolated lapse. If Lambeth Council has ignored you, here's how to claim.

How to complain about London Borough of Lambeth

If London Borough of Lambeth has left a repair undone, you have the right to complain, and to escalate it for free if they ignore you. Here is the order to follow.

  1. 1

    Complain in writing. Send London Borough of Lambeth a written complaint, by email or their online form, and keep a copy. Say what is wrong, when you first reported it, and how it affects you. This is a stage 1 complaint, and they should reply within about 10 working days.

  2. 2

    Ask for a stage 2 review. If you are not happy with the reply, ask London Borough of Lambeth in writing to look at it again at stage 2, the final stage of their process. They should reply within about 20 working days.

  3. 3

    Escalate to the Housing Ombudsman. If London Borough of Lambeth still does not put it right, or 8 weeks pass with no proper answer, you can take the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman, the free service that reviews social-housing complaints. The Ombudsman has already named London Borough of Lambeth in its 2024-25 review for upholding tenants' complaints, so you would not be the first.

  4. 4

    If a repair is still not fixed, get free advice. If the problem is disrepair such as damp, mould, a leak or broken heating and London Borough of Lambeth has ignored it, call us free. We will tell you where you stand, and you may have a claim. We deal with London Borough of Lambeth for you, and there is no cost to start.

Call free: 0800 030 4669

Talk to us about London Borough of Lambeth

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33,000
homes managed
Grade C2
government rating: needs to improve
40
severe maladministration findings (2024-25)
24hr
Awaab's Law emergency repair deadline

How London Borough of Lambeth's own tenants rate them

These are London Borough of Lambeth's own tenants' scores, collected by the housing regulator in 2024-25. We didn't pick the numbers.

RSH TSM 2024-25 · gov.uk source · London Borough of Lambeth's own TSM page

Happy with their landlord overall47.2% vs 71.8% for most landlords (below average)
Happy with repairs55.9% vs 73.6% for most landlords (below average)
Repairs done in good time51.6% vs 69.5% for most landlords (below average)
Home kept in good repair49.6% vs 71.9% for most landlords (below average)
Happy with how complaints are handled22% vs 35.5% for most landlords (below average)

Most landlords means the middle score across every social landlord in England in the 2024-25 regulator data. The thin line on each bar marks that middle score.

London Borough of Lambeth: Housing Ombudsman record 2024-25

The independent statutory review of social-housing complaints 2024-25 (published 23 September 2025) named London Borough of Lambeth for upholding tenants' complaints of maladministration over repairs and conditions.

Source: independent statutory complaints review 2024-25. housing-ombudsman.org.uk · published 23 September 2025. See all 2024-25 records.

A real London Borough of Lambeth case decided by an independent ruling

This is a published independent statutory ruling, not our own client. It shows the compensation London Borough of Lambeth was ordered to pay a tenant, and the kind of failing we help you act on.

London Borough of Lambeth by the numbers

  • Around 33,000 council-owned homes across Brixton, Streatham, Clapham, Vauxhall and Norwood.
  • TSM 2024-25: 47.2% overall satisfaction, among the lowest in the LCRA dataset of 353 providers.
  • Multiple independent statutory rulings 2023-2025 relating to damp and mould.

What you can do today

  1. 1.Log your case at lambeth.gov.uk/housing/complaints with a dated timeline.
  2. 2.Phone repairs on 020 7926 6666 and request an Awaab's Law investigation within 10 working days (24 hours if it's an emergency).
  3. 3.After 8 weeks of no proper response, you may have a claim, call us free on 0800 030 4669.

Why work with us

Four things we commit to on every case. No fabricated stats.

No win, no fee

If you don't win, you don't pay us. And you are dealing with a regulated, authorised firm, not a cold-caller.

Nothing to pay up front

You pay nothing to get started, and nothing at all if you lose. If you win, the fee only comes out of your compensation, never out of your own pocket, and it is capped by law.

Honest advice

We tell you on the first call whether your case is worth pursuing. We are not paid by case volume, so you get a straight answer.

Common issues with London Borough of Lambeth

Based on public statutory complaints records and tenant reports. Awaab's Law deadlines apply regardless of which issue you report.

Sample complaint email to London Borough of Lambeth

Copy this, fill in the bracketed details, and send. Cites Section 11, FFHH Act and Awaab's Law, landlords take it seriously.

Subject: Formal complaint: disrepair at [your address], Section 11 and Awaab's Law

Dear London Borough of Lambeth,

I am writing to formally complain about disrepair at my home at [your address].

The issue: [describe damp / mould / leak / broken heating / other, be specific about rooms, when it started, and any health impacts].

I reported this on [date] via [phone / email / portal / in person]. The reference number I was given is [reference if any]. To date, no proper repair has been completed.

LEGAL POSITION:

Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, you have a duty to keep the structure and installations of my home in repair.

Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, my home must be fit for human habitation.

Under Awaab's Law (Section 10A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, in force 27 October 2025), if this hazard is an emergency you must investigate within 24 hours and offer alternative accommodation if the home cannot be made safe. If this hazard is a significant hazard, you must investigate within 10 working days, complete the relevant safety work within 5 working days of finishing that investigation, and provide a written summary of your findings within 3 working days of the investigation.

This letter constitutes formal notice. Please acknowledge within 5 working days and issue a stage-1 response within 10 working days, as required by your published complaints policy and the statutory Complaint Handling Code.

If you fail to respond or to act within these timeframes, I reserve all my rights including escalation to the Housing Ombudsman and a legal claim for compensation.

Yours faithfully,

[Your name]
[Your address]
[Your phone]
[Your email]

Don't want to do this yourself? Use our free letter builder for a PDF, or start a claim with us and we'll handle the whole correspondence.

Frequently asked questions about London Borough of Lambeth

How do I complain about London Borough of Lambeth?
Complain to London Borough of Lambeth in writing first, by email or their online form, and keep a copy. Say what is wrong, when you first reported it, and how it affects you. This is a stage 1 complaint and they should reply within about 10 working days. If you are not happy with the reply, ask in writing for a stage 2 review. If they still do not put it right, or 8 weeks pass with no proper answer, you can take the complaint to the Housing Ombudsman for free.
What can I do if London Borough of Lambeth have ignored my repairs?
Put the complaint in writing again and keep a copy, because the legal deadlines run from when London Borough of Lambeth were told about the problem. Under Awaab's Law a significant hazard must be investigated within 10 working days, and an emergency hazard within 24 hours. If nothing happens, follow London Borough of Lambeth's two-stage complaints process and keep a record of every stage. Or call us free on 0800 030 4669 and we will deal with London Borough of Lambeth for you.
How long does London Borough of Lambeth have to fix my repair?
Under Awaab's Law (Section 10A of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, in force from 27 October 2025), London Borough of Lambeth must, for an emergency hazard, investigate within 24 hours and offer alternative accommodation if the home cannot be made safe in that time. For a significant hazard, London Borough of Lambeth must investigate within 10 working days, complete the safety work within 5 working days of finishing that investigation, and send the tenant a written summary of findings within 3 working days of the investigation (which runs at the same time as the 5-day works window).
How do I report damp and mould to London Borough of Lambeth?
Report it to London Borough of Lambeth in writing if you can, by email, their online portal, or by phone with a reference number, and keep a copy. Describe the damp or mould, when it started, and any effect on your health. Reporting in writing matters because the Awaab's Law deadlines only start once you have told London Borough of Lambeth about the hazard. If they do not act within those deadlines, speak to us.
Can I claim compensation from London Borough of Lambeth?
Yes, if you've reported a hazard and London Borough of Lambeth have ignored it past the Awaab's Law deadlines, you can claim compensation. How much depends on how long it went on, how serious it was, and any effect on your health, so we cannot promise a figure. On no win, no fee terms you pay nothing up front, and the solicitor's fee only comes out of your compensation if you win, never out of your own pocket.
What if London Borough of Lambeth have inspected but done nothing?
An inspection alone doesn't satisfy Awaab's Law. The repair deadline keeps running. Keep records of every inspection date, the surveyor's name, and what they said. This pattern strengthens any future claim significantly.
How do I escalate a complaint about London Borough of Lambeth?
Stage 1: formal complaint to London Borough of Lambeth (10 working days for response). Stage 2: written escalation if dissatisfied (20 working days). If they still do not fix it, or 8 weeks pass with no proper response, you may have a claim, speak to us and we will tell you honestly.

Related

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 and not guaranteed; every case is different.

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