Your landlord's legal obligations
Under Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, your landlord must keep in repair: the structure and exterior of the property (roof, walls, windows, doors), installations for water, gas, electricity and sanitation (pipes, boilers, wiring, toilets, baths), and installations for heating and hot water. This applies regardless of what your tenancy agreement says — even if your agreement tries to shift repair duties onto you, those clauses are likely unenforceable.
Under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, your landlord must ensure the property is fit for human habitation throughout the tenancy. This covers damp, mould, inadequate heating, pest infestations, and structural hazards.
Step-by-step: what to do
1. Report the issue in writing. Always put repair requests in writing — email is fine. Describe the problem, attach photos, and keep a copy. This creates a paper trail that's essential if the dispute escalates.
2. Give your landlord reasonable time. What's "reasonable" depends on the urgency. A broken boiler in winter should be fixed within 24 hours. A leaking gutter might be 2-4 weeks. If the issue is a health or safety hazard, the timeline is shorter.
3. Follow up in writing. If they don't respond, send a follow-up email referencing your original request and the date. State clearly that the issue remains unresolved.
4. Contact your local council. If the landlord still doesn't act, report the issue to your council's Environmental Health team. They have the power to inspect the property, issue improvement notices, and prosecute landlords who fail to comply. From December 2025, local authorities have expanded enforcement powers under the Renters' Rights Act.
5. Consider the First-tier Tribunal. Under the Homes Act 2018, you can take your landlord to the tribunal for failing to maintain a habitable property. The tribunal can order them to carry out repairs and award compensation.
Retaliatory eviction protection
If your landlord tries to evict you after you've complained about repairs, this may be a retaliatory eviction. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 strengthens protections against this. If you've reported a genuine repair issue (especially if the council has been involved), the court can refuse to grant a possession order.
Key point: Never withhold rent as a way of forcing repairs. This can give your landlord grounds for eviction. Instead, follow the steps above and keep paying rent while pursuing the complaint through official channels.