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Council · 11,000 homes

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

Tower Hamlets Council manages around 11,000 homes directly, having taken stock back from Tower Hamlets Homes (its former ALMO) in stages. The borough has some of the densest social-housing stock in England, with major estates at Boundary, Will Crooks, and the Isle of Dogs. Independent statutory rulings have repeatedly criticised the speed of the council's disrepair response.

A British housing-association low-rise flats block

Tower Hamlets has one of the highest temporary-accommodation populations in London. If you are in a nightly-paid placement rather than a secure tenancy, your escalation route is the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, a separate body for temporary-accommodation complaints. Make the distinction clear in your reports. If Tower Hamlets Council has ignored you, here's how to claim.

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How to complain about London Borough of Tower Hamlets

If London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets for you, and there is no cost to start.

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Talk to us about London Borough of Tower Hamlets

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11,000
homes managed
Grade C3
government rating: serious failings
24hr
Awaab's Law emergency repair deadline
10 days
to investigate a serious hazard

London Borough of Tower Hamlets: Housing Ombudsman record 2024-25

The independent statutory review of social-housing complaints 2024-25 (published 23 September 2025) named London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets case decided by an independent ruling

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

£3,084
Tower Hamlets Council ordered to pay £3,084 after misdiagnosing black mould
independent statutory ruling · case 202126875

London Borough of Tower Hamlets by the numbers

  • •Around 11,000 council-owned homes across Tower Hamlets wards.
  • •Stock brought back in-house from Tower Hamlets Homes ALMO in stages.
  • •Very high temporary-accommodation population, different complaint route applies (LGSCO).

What you can do today

  1. 1.Submit a stage-1 complaint at towerhamlets.gov.uk/contact-us/comments-compliments-complaints.
  2. 2.Phone repairs on 020 7364 5015 and request an Awaab's Law investigation within 10 working days (24 hours if it's an emergency).
  3. 3.If your home is still unfixed after 8 weeks, 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 Tower Hamlets

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

Damp and mould

Significant hazard: 10 working days to investigate, 5 to complete under Awaab's Law.

We will check the dates, the evidence, and your landlord's response, then tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.

Read your rights

Leaks and flooding

Emergency hazard: investigate in 24 hours under Awaab's Law.

We will check the dates, the evidence, and your landlord's response, then tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.

Read your rights

Broken heating and hot water

Emergency hazard: investigate in 24 hours under Awaab's Law.

We will check the dates, the evidence, and your landlord's response, then tell you honestly whether you have a case worth pursuing.

Read your rights

Sample complaint email to London Borough of Tower Hamlets

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 Tower Hamlets,

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 Tower Hamlets

How do I complain about London Borough of Tower Hamlets?
Complain to London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets have ignored my repairs?
Put the complaint in writing again and keep a copy, because the legal deadlines run from when London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets'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 Tower Hamlets for you.
How long does London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets?
Report it to London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets about the hazard. If they do not act within those deadlines, speak to us.
Can I claim compensation from London Borough of Tower Hamlets?
Yes, if you've reported a hazard and London Borough of Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets 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 Tower Hamlets?
Stage 1: formal complaint to London Borough of Tower Hamlets (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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