Housing disrepair help across East Sussex
Brighton & Hove, Hastings, Eastbourne, Lewes, Wealden and Rother. From the city of Brighton to the rural east, the same statutory duties apply.
What you need to know about repairs in East Sussex
East Sussex has five district councils plus the unitary Brighton & Hove. Brighton & Hove retains around 11,000 council homes. Hastings Borough Council retained a smaller stock and works with major registered providers including Optivo (now Southern Housing) and Orbit. Stock varies from Regency terraces in Brighton to older inter-war estates in Hastings.
Awaab's Law (in force 27 October 2025) applies to every social landlord across East Sussex. The same 24-hour, 10-working-day, 3-working-day, 5-working-day deadlines bind Brighton & Hove City Council, Hastings Borough Council, and every registered provider operating in the county.
Private rented stock in Hastings, St Leonards and Eastbourne has known damp and disrepair concentrations. The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 means every rented home must be fit to live in throughout the tenancy. Your district or unitary council's housing standards team is the enforcement route in.
Awaab's Law deadlines, the same across East Sussex
Awaab's Law started on 27 October 2025. It gives every social landlord across East Sussex firm deadlines once you have reported a hazard. The clock applies to every council and registered provider in the region.
| 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 |
Awaab's Law applies to every social landlord across East Sussex from 27 October 2025. Brighton & Hove City Council, Hastings Borough Council, Southern Housing (formerly Optivo), Orbit, Clarion and every other registered provider operating in the county are bound by the same deadlines.
Districts and boroughs across East Sussex
The law is the same wherever you are in the region. Local councils and registered providers all owe the same duties to their tenants.
If your landlord is ignoring you in East Sussex
Each East Sussex district and Brighton & Hove run their own housing standards and environmental health teams. Call the council that covers your postcode and ask for housing standards. They can inspect under the HHSRS and force action.
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.