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Housing disrepair claims in Medway
Medway is the unitary authority covering Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester and Strood. Around 3,000 council homes plus a large registered-provider and private rented sector all owe the same statutory duties.
What you need to know about repairs in Medway
Medway Council directly manages around 3,000 council homes across the five Medway towns. Stock includes inter-war estates in Twydall and Walderslade, post-war flats in central Chatham, and a heavy private rented sector along the Medway corridor. Housing associations active across the unitary include Town & Country Housing, Southern Housing (formerly Optivo), Moat Homes and Clarion.
Awaab's Law (in force 27 October 2025) applies to every social landlord operating in Medway. The 24-hour emergency, 10-working-day investigation, 3-working-day written summary and 5-working-day completion deadlines bind Medway Council and every registered provider in the area, regardless of how big the landlord is.
Private rented stock in Chatham, Gillingham and central Rochester is older and tightly let. Damp, mould and ventilation problems are common. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies to every rented home in the unitary, and Medway Council's housing standards team can inspect under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS) and serve enforcement notices.
Awaab's Law deadlines, in plain English
Awaab's Law started on 27 October 2025. It gives every social landlord in Medway 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 Medway
The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 applies to every rented home in Medway, social or private. If your landlord is not listed above, the same rights apply.
Explore Medway in depth
Has Medway 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.