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Housing disrepair claims in Manchester
Manchester combines old terraces, post-war estates, and large registered providers. Awaab Ishak died in nearby Rochdale, the law that bears his name was written for tenants in your position.
What you need to know about repairs in Manchester
Manchester City Council does not directly manage its social housing. The stock was transferred in 2005 to a group of registered providers, the largest being Manchester Move partners and One Manchester. Greater Manchester also has Northwards Housing (now part of Northern Housing Group) and several smaller registered providers.
Awaab's Law applies to every social landlord in Greater Manchester, including registered providers. Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, the landlord at the centre of the original Awaab Ishak case, faced binding independent statutory rulings of severe failings in the years before the regulations came into force.
Private rented sector growth has been rapid in Hulme, Cheetham Hill, Longsight and parts of Salford. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies regardless of who your landlord is. If your landlord is a private letting agent, the Property Redress Scheme or The Property Ombudsman is the free complaints route.
Awaab's Law deadlines, in plain English
Awaab's Law started on 27 October 2025. It gives every social landlord in Manchester firm deadlines to fix dangerous problems once you report them. Here are the deadlines:
| Action | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Emergency hazard, make safe | 24 hours |
| Significant hazard, investigate | 10 working days |
| Written summary of findings | 3 working days after investigation |
| Complete the works | 5 working days after written summary |
See the full breakdown of what counts as an emergency vs significant hazard at /law/awaabs-law.
Major landlords in Manchester
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies to every rented home in Manchester, social or private. If your landlord is not listed above, the same rights apply.
Explore Manchester in depth
Has Manchester council been ignoring your repairs?
If you reported damp, mould, a leak, broken heating or another serious repair more than three months ago and the council has not fixed it, you may be entitled to make a formal housing disrepair claim. The law gives you the right to get the repairs done and to claim compensation for the time you have lived without them.
- No win, no fee. You pay nothing if the claim does not succeed
- Free initial advice. We tell you honestly if you have a case
- FCA-authorised claims management company
- SRA-regulated panel solicitors handle the legal work
How a claim works
- Tell your landlord in writing. First you report the problem to your landlord and ask them to put it right. Keep a copy of what you send and any reply. If they do not sort it out, you may have a claim.
- A no-win-no-fee claim. A panel solicitor takes your case. If you do not win, you pay nothing. If you win, you pay an agreed fee out of your compensation, never out of your own pocket, and we explain it clearly before you start. This is worth thinking about if the problem has gone on a long time, or the landlord keeps ignoring you.
We will tell you honestly whether you have a claim. Call us free on 0800 030 4669. Support for Tenants is a regulated company. We are not a solicitor. Panel solicitors run the cases.
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By: Support for Tenants editorial team
Last updated:
Reviewed against current housing law for England and Wales as at 22 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.