General Tenants Advice

The council is responsible for carrying out most major repairs to your council property. This includes keeping the structure and exterior of the building in good condition — such as the roof, walls, windows, doors, and drains. They must also maintain essential services like heating, hot water, gas, electricity, and sanitation.

Repairs to shared areas in blocks of flats, like stairwells, lifts, and communal lighting, are also typically covered by the council. If you’ve reported an issue and it’s affecting your health, safety, or security — such as a broken boiler in winter or serious damp and mould — the council is expected to act promptly.

However, tenants are usually responsible for minor repairs and day-to-day maintenance, like replacing light bulbs, unblocking sinks, or looking after their garden (if applicable).

If your council isn’t carrying out repairs within a reasonable timeframe, or if the disrepair is affecting your health and wellbeing, you may have grounds to take legal action.

If your council isn’t carrying out housing repairs properly or within a reasonable time, you have the right to complain — and it’s important to follow the correct steps.

Start by reporting the issue directly to your local council’s housing repairs team. Make sure to do this in writing, and keep a record of all communication, including dates, names, and any reference numbers. If the repair isn’t completed or you’re unhappy with the response, you can escalate the matter by making a formal complaint through the council’s official complaints procedure. You can usually do this online, by phone, or in writing.

If you’ve followed the process and still feel the issue hasn’t been resolved, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman. They’ll investigate whether the council acted fairly and in line with their duties.

Council repair timescales can vary depending on the urgency and nature of the issue, but most councils follow a similar structure:

• Emergency repairs – These are issues that pose an immediate risk to health, safety, or the structure of the property. Examples include severe leaks, total loss of heating in winter, or dangerous electrical faults. Councils aim to attend within 24 hours, sometimes sooner.
• Urgent repairs – These don’t pose an immediate danger but still need attention fairly quickly. This might include a leaking roof, broken windows, or partial loss of power. These are usually dealt with within 3 to 7 working days.
• Routine or non-urgent repairs – These cover less critical issues, such as faulty extractor fans, dripping taps, or damaged internal doors. Timescales for these can vary but are often completed within 20 to 30 working days.

If your repair has been delayed or ignored beyond the expected timeframe, you may be entitled to take action.

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.

If your housing repair complaint isn’t being taken seriously, it’s important to escalate it through the proper channels to get the issue resolved.

Step 1: Follow the council’s formal complaints process.
Start by submitting a formal complaint to your local council, ideally in writing. Include details of the problem, when it was reported, and any previous communication. Make sure to keep copies for your records.

Step 2: Escalate within the council.
If you’re not satisfied with the response, ask for the complaint to be reviewed at a higher level. Councils usually have a two-stage complaints procedure, and you’re entitled to request this escalation.

Step 3: Contact the Housing Ombudsman.
If the council still fails to act, you can take your complaint to the Housing Ombudsman Service. They offer an independent review and can investigate whether the council has acted fairly and in line with its responsibilities.

Step 4: Consider legal action.
If disrepair is affecting your health, safety, or quality of life, you may be entitled to take legal action — and even claim compensation. Contact a housing disrepair specialist like Legal HD who can advise you if you have a claim.

Yes, you absolutely can — and should — get legal advice if you’re living in council housing that’s in disrepair.

When your home is affected by problems like damp, mould, leaks, broken heating, or structural issues, and the council isn’t responding or carrying out repairs within a reasonable time, legal advice can help you understand your rights and take action.

A housing disrepair solicitor can guide you on:

• Whether the council is breaching its legal responsibilities
• How to escalate your complaint effectively
• Whether you’re entitled to compensation for inconvenience, health issues, or damage to belongings
• What steps to take if you want to start a legal claim