Repair issues within your private rented home
If you are living in a privately rented property and have concerns about its condition you should first contact the landlord or the managing agent to get it put right.
Don't be frightened about raising your concerns. You have the right to live in a safe and secure home.
In almost all tenancies, the landlord is by law required to keep the property in a good state of repair provided the tenant has not caused the damage.
Repairs your landlord is responsible for
There are some repairs to a privately rented property that a landlord is always responsible for:
- Structure of the property
- Exterior of the property
- Sanitary fittings (basins, sinks, baths, toilets)
- Pipes and drains
- Heating and hot water
- Electrical wiring
- Damage caused in carrying out repairs
Tenants cannot be forced to complete or pay for repairs that are a landlord's responsibility.
Responsibility for repairs in common areas, such as stairs or hallways, will be outlined in your tenancy agreement.
Your responsibilities
Tenants are required to pay for repairs to damage caused by them, their friends, family or pets.
This includes damage to another tenant's flat, for example if a bath overflows into the flat below.
Do not attempt to carry out repairs yourself, unless your tenancy agreement states that you can.
Reporting a fault to your landlord
A landlord's responsibility to deal with a repair is dependent on them knowing about it. If there is a fault with, or damage to, the property you are renting, assess how urgent the repair is.
Faults that pose an immediate risk to health or property, such as a burst pipe, should be reported by phone to the landlord or their agent.
You should follow this up with something in writing.
For non-urgent repairs, write to your landlord, either by email, text message or post. However you do it, make sure you keep a copy of the letter.
We have provided a template for you to download and complete or copy into an email.
Template repairs request letter
Generally, we cannot get directly involved in requiring a landlord to comply with their repairing obligations.
However, if you have reported your concerns about the property to your landlord but nothing has been done, visit our report an issue with your rented home page to see how we may be able to help.
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