Repairs and Maintenance — Your Rights as a Tenant When Things Go Wrong

Who Is Responsible for What?

The starting point for repairs in rented property is Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, which sets out your landlord's statutory repair obligations. These obligations exist regardless of what your tenancy agreement says — they cannot be contracted away.

**Your landlord is responsible for:**

• The structure and exterior of the property: roof, walls, foundations, floors, external doors and windows
• Installations for water, gas, and electricity supply
• Sanitation: basins, sinks, baths, and toilets and their pipework
• Space heating (radiators, central heating boiler) and water heating
• Common parts of the building in an HMO or purpose-built flat

**You are generally responsible for:**

• Internal decoration
• Minor maintenance (replacing lightbulbs, bleeding radiators)
• Damage you or your guests have caused
• Keeping the property clean and ventilated to prevent condensation

The Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 adds a further obligation: the property must be fit to live in throughout the tenancy, not just at the start. This covers damp, mould, inadequate heating, structural problems, and hazards assessed under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.

How Quickly Must Repairs Be Done?

There is no single statutory timeframe, but the law requires repairs to be carried out within a reasonable time once the landlord has been notified. What counts as reasonable depends on the urgency:

Always Report Repairs in Writing

Verbal reports of repairs are practically useless if a dispute arises. Always report repairs in writing — email is ideal because it is timestamped and creates an automatic record. Include:

• A clear description of the problem
• When it first appeared
• Any relevant photographs
• A request for confirmation of when repairs will be carried out

Keep copies of every communication in Property Passport UK. A documented repair history is the most powerful tool you have if you later need to involve the council, a solicitor, or the ombudsman.

If Your Landlord Ignores Repair Requests

**Step 1 — Follow-up in writing.** Give a reasonable deadline (7–14 days for non-emergencies) and state clearly that if repairs are not carried out you will escalate to the council.

**Step 2 — Report to the council.** Your local authority's environmental health or private sector housing team can inspect and issue formal notices requiring the landlord to carry out works. For Category 1 hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, the council is obliged to act. See our guide on reporting landlords to the council for full details.

**Step 3 — Seek legal advice.** Shelter (0808 800 4444) and Citizens Advice can advise on whether you have a disrepair claim against your landlord. Legal aid may be available for serious disrepair cases.

Can You Withhold Rent?

Withholding rent is risky and can backfire badly. If your rent falls two months in arrears, your landlord has a mandatory Ground 8 possession claim against you — regardless of the state of the property. Courts will not allow you to set off repair costs against rent without a formal agreement or court order.

**Do not withhold rent without first taking legal advice.**

Repair and Deduct

In limited circumstances, a tenant can arrange for urgent repairs to be carried out themselves and deduct the reasonable cost from rent. This right exists in common law but is narrow: it applies only where the repair is truly urgent, you have given the landlord notice and a reasonable opportunity to act, and the cost is reasonable. Again, take legal advice before exercising this right.

Claiming Compensation for Disrepair

If your landlord's failure to repair has caused you loss — damaged belongings, additional heating costs, health problems, inability to use part of the property — you may have a claim for damages. Courts regularly award compensation to tenants in serious disrepair cases. The amount depends on the severity of the disrepair, how long it lasted, and the impact on your daily life.

Mould and Damp — A Special Case

Following high-profile cases including the death of Awaab Ishak in 2020 (whose social landlord failed to act on severe mould), the Awaab's Law requirements have extended landlord obligations. Landlords must investigate and begin to remedy damp and mould within defined timeframes after a tenant reports it. For private landlords, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act and HHSRS provide the enforcement route — and councils are increasingly active in this area.