What are tenant rights if repairs are delayed?

If the council delays repairs, you have rights as a tenant — and it’s important to know how to use them.

Firstly, the council has a legal duty to keep your home in a safe and liveable condition. If they fail to carry out necessary repairs within a reasonable timeframe, especially for issues affecting your health or safety, they may be breaching that duty.

You have the right to:

• Chase up the repair through the council’s complaints process. Always keep records of your requests and any responses.
• Contact the Housing Ombudsman if the issue remains unresolved after following the complaints procedure.
• Take legal action, particularly if the disrepair is causing harm, distress, or making parts of your home unusable. In some cases, you may also be entitled to compensation for inconvenience, damage to belongings, or health impacts.