How many times must I report a repair?

There is no fixed number for every claim. Report clearly once, preserve proof, follow up where the condition remains or worsens, and use emergency channels for immediate danger.

Can the council force my landlord to repair?

A council can inspect private and housing association homes and use Housing Act enforcement powers where hazards justify action. The exact response depends on what the inspection finds. If the council is your landlord, use its complaints procedure and the Housing Ombudsman instead.

Should I stop paying rent until repairs are done?

No. Government guidance says tenants should continue paying rent. Withholding rent can create possession risk; obtain individual advice before making deductions.

Can my landlord evict me for asking for repairs?

A landlord needs a valid legal ground and must follow the court process. Section 21 no-fault eviction was abolished for private tenancies in England from 1 May 2026, subject to limited transitional cases. Get advice promptly if you receive a notice after reporting repairs.

Landlord Ignoring Repair Requests? What to Do Next

First, confirm the landlord received the report

Send a written summary identifying the address, affected rooms, defect, health or safety risk and original report date. Attach photographs, provide access options and ask for a repair reference and timetable. Do not rely solely on an unanswered telephone call.

What can I do if my landlord ignores repair requests?

Re-report any worsening or urgent danger, preserve proof of the original notice, ask for a written timetable and move from a service request to a formal complaint. The next route depends on whether the landlord is private, council or housing association and whether the condition is immediately unsafe.

Your landlord	Main escalation routes
Council	Formal complaint, then the Housing Ombudsman. Awaab's Law timeframes apply to in-scope hazards. The council's own environmental health team generally cannot take enforcement action against the council itself.
Housing association	Formal complaint, then the Housing Ombudsman. Awaab's Law timeframes apply to in-scope hazards. You can also ask the council to inspect for serious hazards.
Private landlord or letting agent	Written complaint to the landlord or agent, then the council's private-sector housing or environmental health team. Awaab's Law does not currently apply, but repair and fitness duties do.

In every case, a legal claim may be possible where the landlord has breached its repair duties. Legal action runs separately from complaints and council enforcement.

How long should I wait?

There is no single reasonable period for every repair. Immediate fire, electrical, gas, collapse or severe contamination risks require emergency action; less urgent works may require inspection, parts or specialist access. For council and housing association tenants, Awaab's Law requires emergency hazards to be investigated and made safe within 24 hours and potential significant hazards to be investigated within 10 working days. Until 30 November 2026 the significant-hazard rules cover damp and mould; from that date they also cover hazards such as excess cold, falls, structural collapse, fire and electrical hazards. See Awaab's Law explained.

Make a formal complaint

A repair request asks for work; a complaint challenges the landlord's service, delay or failure. State the repair history, missed commitments, continuing impact and remedy sought. Ask for a written stage response and escalate within the landlord's procedure.

How long should a social landlord take to answer my complaint?

Under the Housing Ombudsman's Complaint Handling Code, stage 1 should be acknowledged within 5 working days and answered within 10 working days of acknowledgement. Stage 2 should be acknowledged within 5 working days and answered within 20 working days. These complaint deadlines are different from repair or Awaab's Law timeframes.

When should I contact the council?

Private tenants can contact the local council's environmental health or private-sector housing team when repairs remain unresolved. Housing-association tenants may also seek council inspection. GOV.UK says councils must act where they identify serious health and safety hazards. Council enforcement is separate from compensation.

Can the Housing Ombudsman help?

Council and housing-association tenants can take qualifying unresolved service complaints to the Housing Ombudsman. The Ombudsman can investigate maladministration and order remedies, but overlapping court proceedings may limit its jurisdiction. Private tenants cannot currently use the Housing Ombudsman; the Government plans a Private Rented Sector Landlord Ombudsman, with mandatory landlord membership expected in 2028.

When is legal advice appropriate?

Seek advice promptly where the property is unsafe, injury is alleged, limitation may be close, possession action exists or repeated escalation has failed. The Housing Conditions Pre-Action Protocol normally structures a damages or repair claim before court.

What should I avoid?

Do not withhold rent without advice.
Do not refuse reasonable repair access without explaining genuine concerns.
Do not carry out dangerous structural, gas or electrical work.
Do not exaggerate dates, losses or symptoms.
Do not let complaints obscure an approaching court deadline.

Use our evidence checklist to organise the case, and read about eviction after reporting repairs if you are worried about your tenancy.

This article provides general legal information only. It does not constitute legal advice on any specific case. Awaab's Law Claims Specialists is a trading name of Driscoll Kingston & Co Limited, authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 839699).