Something is broken: what to report, what the law says, and what happens next

What the landlord must repair

Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 implies a repairing covenant into every tenancy of less than seven years. The landlord must keep in repair the structure and exterior of the home, including drains, gutters and external pipes; keep in repair and proper working order the installations for the supply of water, gas and electricity and for sanitation, including basins, sinks, baths and toilets; and keep in repair and proper working order the installations for space heating and heating water. A tenancy agreement cannot remove these duties.

On top of that, the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018 requires the home to be free of hazards that could harm the health or safety of anyone living there, throughout the tenancy. The list of hazards runs to 29 items, from damp and mould and excess cold to electrical hazards, fire, and falls on stairs. If a home is unfit, the tenant can take the landlord to court for an order requiring the work and for compensation.

Tenants are responsible for damage they or their guests cause, and for the small jobs an agreement assigns to them, but cannot be made to do the landlord's repairs. The GOV.UK repairs page also notes that you must keep paying rent while repairs are outstanding; withholding rent is not a legal remedy and puts the tenancy at risk.

Make the first report a good one

A contractor needs four things: what is wrong, where it is, since when, and whether it is getting worse. A report that carries all four avoids a second visit to find out what the first visit was for. Add a photo when it helps, and never put yourself at risk to take one.

• Say where: "the bathroom ceiling directly below the loft hatch", not "there is a leak".
• Say since when, and what changed: "started after the heavy rain on Tuesday; the stain has doubled in size since".
• Say what you can see, hear or smell: dripping, a hissing sound, discolouration, a smell of gas.
• Say whether anything is affected downstream: water near a light fitting, a boiler that has locked out, a door that no longer locks.
• Say when you can give access, so the reply is an appointment rather than a question.

Urgent safety risks go a different way

Some problems should never sit in a queue. A smell of gas means leaving the property, not using switches, and calling the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. A fire means calling 999. Water coming into contact with electrics, exposed or sparking wiring, and a broken lock on an external door are the kinds of problem Shelter lists as reasonable to expect fixed within 24 hours. Use the landlord's or agent's emergency number for these, and follow up in writing afterwards so there is a record.

How long is reasonable

The law in England does not currently set fixed repair deadlines for private tenancies. Section 11 requires repairs within a "reasonable time" of the landlord being told, and what is reasonable depends on the problem, the season and who lives in the house. Shelter's guidance is the most useful benchmark: urgent hazards within 24 hours; a broken boiler or no heating, especially in winter, within days rather than weeks; ordinary repairs within a few weeks depending on parts and contractors.

That is changing. Awaab's Law already applies to social housing in England, where since 27 October 2025 landlords must investigate reported damp and mould within 10 working days, give the tenant a written summary within 3 working days of finishing, start safety work within 5 working days, and deal with emergency hazards within 24 hours. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 contains the power to extend Awaab's Law to private rentals; the government's implementation roadmap says the timescales and start date will follow a further consultation. Until then, the social-sector figures are a reasonable indication of what "reasonable" will come to mean.

If nothing happens

Escalation works best in order, and in writing.

• Write again, referring to the first report and its date, and say what you expect and by when. Keep copies.
• Contact the environmental health department of your local council. Under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System an officer can inspect, and the council must take action if it judges the problem could harm you. It can serve an improvement notice on the landlord.
• Consider a claim under the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act for an order and compensation, with advice first from Shelter, Citizens Advice or a solicitor. Legal aid may be available for serious disrepair.
• Do not stop paying rent, and do not carry out major work yourself and deduct the cost without advice. Both can go badly wrong.

Keep the record together

Every step of this depends on being able to show what was reported, when, and what was said in reply. A report made by phone and a photo sent in a group chat are hard to produce a year later. Keep the report, the photos, the access arrangements and each update in one place, in date order. In a shared house that also stops three people reporting the same broken boiler, and lets a new housemate see what is already in hand without asking.